Quality criteria define the properties that make individual requirements and requirements work products clear, useful, and reliable.
For a single requirement, common checks include adequacy, necessity, clarity, completeness, understandability, and verifiability. Therefore, the statement should reflect a real need and support a defined goal.
In addition, every reader should interpret the requirement in the same way. The team should also have an objective method for checking its fulfilment.
For a set of requirements, consistency and non-redundancy become important. Moreover, the set should cover the intended scope and maintain useful traceability.
Teams should adapt the checks to the project context. For example, safety-critical systems may require stricter verification than low-risk internal tools. However, teams should balance review effort with expected value.
Quality criteria differ from acceptance criteria. The first evaluate the wording and structure of requirements. In contrast, acceptance criteria define the conditions for accepting an implemented result.
Systematic reviews reduce ambiguity, reveal defects early, and support effective validation and change management.
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