# Requirements Validation

> Validate and verify requirements to ensure they meet quality standards and align with business needs, including traceability maintenance

- Skill: `danhvb/requirements-validation` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add danhvb/requirements-validation`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/danhvb/requirements-validation/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: danhvb (https://skillmd.com/u/danhvb)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/danhvb/requirements-validation

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# Requirements Validation Skill

## Purpose
Ensure that the requirements are correct, complete, consistent, and actually solve the business problem before development begins. "Building the right thing" vs. "Building the thing right".

## Verification vs. Validation
- **Verification**: "Are we building the product right?" (Does the Requirement meet quality standards?)
- **Validation**: "Are we building the right product?" (Does the Requirement solve the user's need?)

## Key Validation Techniques

### 1. Peer Review / Walkthroughs
- **Process**: Informal or semi-formal review with colleagues (Devs, other BAs).
- **Goal**: Find logic errors, ambiguities, and missing edge cases.
- **Checklist**:
  - Is it clear?
  - Is it testable?
  - Is it feasible?

### 2. Stakeholder Inspections / Sign-off
- **Process**: Formal review with Business Owners.
- **Goal**: Approval to proceed.
- **Method**: Don't just read the doc. Walk through scenarios/examples.

### 3. Prototyping
- **Method**: Show, don't tell. Use wireframes or mockups.
- **Goal**: Validate UI/UX requirements. "Is this what you imagined?"

### 4. Acceptance Criteria Review
- **Method**: Review "Given-When-Then" scenarios.
- **Goal**: Ensure the requirement is specific enough to be tested.

## Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)

### Purpose
Link Requirements to their origin and downstream deliverables.
- **Forward Traceability**: Requirement → Design → Code → Test. (Ensures everything required is built).
- **Backward Traceability**: Test → Requirement → Business Goal. (Ensures no "Gold Plating" / unnecessary features).

### RTM Template

| Req ID | Description | Source (Stakeholder) | Business Goal | Design Doc | Test Case ID | Status |
|--------|-------------|----------------------|---------------|------------|--------------|--------|
| FR-01  | Guest Checkout | Marketing VP | Increase Conv | DD-Checkout | TC-001, 002 | Implemented |
| FR-02  | Apple Pay | CEO | Mobile Strategy | DD-Payment | TC-005 | Approved |
| FR-03  | 3D Secure | Compliance | Legal Reqs | DD-Security | TC-010 | Tested |

## Quality Checklist (INVEST)
For User Stories:
- **I**ndependent
- **N**egotiable
- **V**aluable
- **E**stimable
- **S**mall
- **T**estable

## Handling Validation Issues

1.  **Ambiguity**: "System must be fast."
    - *Fix*: "System must load in < 2s."
2.  **Conflict**: Stakeholder A wants Blue, B wants Red.
    - *Fix*: Facilitate negotiation or escalate to Sponsor.
3.  **Incompleteness**: Missing error states.
    - *Fix*: Ask "What happens if this fails?"

## Output
- **Validated Requirements Package**: Clean, approved docs.
- **Sign-off Artifact**: Email or digital signature approving the scope.
- **Updated Traceability Matrix**.

## Tools
- Jira (Linking Stories to Epics/Tests).
- Excel/Lark Base (RTM).
- Confluence/Lark Docs (Approvals).