Requirement
A requirement is a documented need or expectation that specifies what a system must do or the constraints under which it must operate.
“A provision that contains criteria to be fulfilled.”
(Definition reproduced from the ISTQB Glossary. Copyright belongs to ISTQB.)
View the complete ISTQB GlossaryWhat is Requirement?
Requirements define the basis for design, implementation, testing, and acceptance by describing expected functionality and quality attributes.
Specification: Requirements describe expected behavior or constraints.
Foundation: Development and testing are derived from requirements.
Traceability: Requirements should link to design and test cases.
Real World Example
A regulated product team is preparing a release where Requirement appears in reviews, test design conversations, or defect triage rather than as an isolated glossary word.
The risk is that the team treats Requirement as interchangeable with nearby ISTQB terms. That makes test scope blurry and can lead to weak evidence for the release decision.
The tester anchors the discussion in the official definition, asks where the concept appears in the product, and designs examples that show the difference between Requirement and similar ideas.
The page becomes useful in practice because Requirement is connected to a specific testing decision, not memorized as a detached definition.
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which statement BEST describes Requirement in the context of ISTQB terminology?
Question 2
A tester needs to explain Requirement to a non‑technical stakeholder. Which approach is MOST appropriate?
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