What are the two main jobs of the requirements phase?

What are the two main jobs of the requirements phase?

• A. Find solutions that do everything we need them to do; Identify which of the options to deploy
• B. Define the project budget; Plan resource allocation
• C. Create test cases; Write user manuals
• D. Gather user preferences; Build the fastest system

Answer: (D)

The main idea being tested is understanding what the requirements phase focuses on: capturing what users need and setting how the system must perform. Gathering user preferences is essential because it reveals the tasks users expect to accomplish, the features they require, and the constraints they operate under. These insights shape the functional side of the system—what it should do and how it should behave in real use. At the same time, defining performance goals—often framed as how fast the system should operate—translates user needs into measurable nonfunctional requirements. Specifying speed, response times, and throughput helps ensure the design can meet expected performance, which is just as important as what the system actually does. Together, these two tasks establish a clear, testable baseline for both functionality and performance. Other options pull you into later stages or different concerns: budgeting and resource planning relate to project planning, not requirements; creating test cases and manuals come after design in testing and documentation; trying to build the fastest system without tying it to actual user needs risks delivering something that isn’t valuable.

The main idea being tested is understanding what the requirements phase focuses on: capturing what users need and setting how the system must perform. Gathering user preferences is essential because it reveals the tasks users expect to accomplish, the features they require, and the constraints they operate under. These insights shape the functional side of the system—what it should do and how it should behave in real use.

At the same time, defining performance goals—often framed as how fast the system should operate—translates user needs into measurable nonfunctional requirements. Specifying speed, response times, and throughput helps ensure the design can meet expected performance, which is just as important as what the system actually does. Together, these two tasks establish a clear, testable baseline for both functionality and performance.

Other options pull you into later stages or different concerns: budgeting and resource planning relate to project planning, not requirements; creating test cases and manuals come after design in testing and documentation; trying to build the fastest system without tying it to actual user needs risks delivering something that isn’t valuable.