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Requirements Workflow

The requirements workflow governs how SPECLAN specifications progress from initial creation through to approval. This process ensures consistent quality, facilitates stakeholder reviews, and maintains clear accountability.

Overview

Every specification begins as a draft and must pass through a structured review before becoming approved. The Requirements Engineer owns this process and is responsible for the specification's quality, completeness, and readiness for development.

draft  ──>  review  ──>  approved

Workflow Stages

Draft

The initial working state where the Requirements Engineer develops the specification.

Who owns it: Requirements Engineer

What happens:

  • Content can be freely edited and revised
  • The specification is visible only to the owner and designated collaborators
  • No formal review process is active
  • All mandatory fields must be completed before moving forward

Key rules:

  • Only users with the Requirements Engineer role can create specifications in draft status
  • The specification must have all mandatory fields completed before submission to review

Review

The specification is submitted for stakeholder review and feedback.

Who owns it: Requirements Engineer (with reviewer participation)

What happens:

  • The Requirements Engineer submits the draft for review
  • Designated reviewers can view and comment on the specification
  • Content changes are limited to addressing review feedback
  • The Requirements Engineer tracks and responds to all feedback
  • Multiple review cycles may occur until approval criteria are met

Key rules:

  • Only the specification owner can submit for review
  • All review feedback must be addressed or explicitly acknowledged before approval
  • Each status transition requires a reason or comment to be recorded

Approved

The specification has passed review and is ready for implementation.

Who owns it: Transitions to the implementation team

What happens:

  • The specification content is locked from casual editing
  • Changes require a formal Change Request process
  • Ownership responsibility transitions to the development team
  • The specification serves as the authoritative reference for development

Key rules:

  • Approved specifications cannot be directly edited
  • Any modifications require a Change Request
  • The transition to approved is recorded with timestamp and user attribution

Transition Criteria

From To Requirements
draft review All mandatory fields completed; submitted by spec owner
review approved All review feedback addressed; approval criteria met

Status History

SPECLAN tracks every status transition, recording:

  • Who performed the transition
  • When the transition occurred
  • The reason or comment provided

This audit trail provides full traceability of how each specification reached its current state.

Tips for Requirements Engineers

  1. Complete all fields before submitting for review -- incomplete specs will be returned
  2. Address all feedback -- reviewers need to see their concerns acknowledged
  3. Write clear transition comments -- they help future team members understand the spec's history
  4. Use the SPECLAN tree view in VS Code to monitor spec statuses at a glance

Related Topics