Requirements Classification

Purpose

Categorize requirements into functional (what system does), non-functional (how system performs), and constraints (limitations) to ensure complete coverage and proper handling by different agents.

When to Use

• After requirements elicitation
• Organizing requirement documents
• Preparing architecture input
• Identifying NFR gaps

Prerequisites

• Raw requirements available
• Classification categories defined
• Domain understanding

Process

Step 1: Identify Functional Requirements

Functional requirements describe WHAT the system does:
- Features and capabilities
- User interactions
- Data processing
- Business rules
- Integrations

Pattern: "The system shall [do something]"

Step 2: Identify Non-Functional Requirements

NFR categories:
- Performance: Response time, throughput
- Scalability: User capacity, data volume
- Security: Authentication, authorization, encryption
- Reliability: Uptime, fault tolerance
- Usability: Accessibility, ease of use
- Maintainability: Code quality, documentation
- Portability: Platform support

Pattern: "The system shall [do something] within [constraint]"

Step 3: Identify Constraints

Constraint types:
- Technical: Technology stack, platforms
- Business: Budget, timeline, regulations
- Legal: Compliance (GDPR, FERPA)
- Operational: Hosting, support hours
- Integration: API limitations, data formats

Pattern: "The system must/must not [constraint]"

Step 4: Tag and Organize

For each requirement:
1. Assign category: FR/NFR/CON
2. Assign subcategory
3. Link related requirements
4. Identify stakeholder/owner
5. Note dependencies

Step 5: Validate Coverage

Check completeness:
- All FR have corresponding NFR (performance)
- Security NFR exist for sensitive FR
- Constraints don't contradict FR
- NFR are measurable (not vague)

Inputs

Input	Type	Required	Description
raw_requirements	Markdown	Yes	Unclassified requirements
domain_context	String	Optional	Industry standards

Outputs

Output	Type	Description
functional_requirements.md	Markdown	FR list
nfr_matrix.md	Markdown	NFR with metrics
constraints.md	Markdown	System constraints
requirements_spec.md	Markdown	Complete organized spec

StudyAbroad-Specific Considerations

• GDPR is a constraint affecting many FRs
• Performance NFRs critical during application deadlines
• External API limitations are constraints
• Accessibility (WCAG) is NFR requirement

Integration Points

• Architecture Agent: NFRs drive architecture decisions
• Security Agent: Security NFRs coordination
• Test Manager: NFRs become test scenarios

Examples

Classified Requirements:

FUNCTIONAL (FR):
- FR-001: User registration with email/OAuth2
- FR-002: University search with filters
- FR-003: Application form submission
- FR-004: Document upload and storage
- FR-005: Application status tracking

NON-FUNCTIONAL (NFR):
- NFR-001 [Performance]: Page load < 3 seconds
- NFR-002 [Performance]: Search results < 2 seconds
- NFR-003 [Scalability]: Support 10,000 concurrent users
- NFR-004 [Security]: All data encrypted at rest
- NFR-005 [Availability]: 99.5% uptime SLA
- NFR-006 [Accessibility]: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance

CONSTRAINTS (CON):
- CON-001 [Legal]: GDPR compliance required
- CON-002 [Technical]: Must use PostgreSQL database
- CON-003 [Integration]: University API rate limit: 100/min
- CON-004 [Timeline]: MVP by Q2 2024
- CON-005 [Platform]: Web-first, mobile responsive

Validation

• All requirements classified
• NFRs have measurable metrics
• Constraints are specific
• No orphan requirements
• Categories don't overlap