Business requirements

In reality there will be many business requirements. If effective decision making is to take place, these requirements must be prioritised, particularly where there are conflicts, e.g. between product performance and cost. One simple but effective approach to address such trade-offs is the MoSCoW principle, which stands for

  • Must have
  • Should have
  • Could have
  • Won't have

Whilst usability is a key focus for inclusive products, the effective management of conflicting requirements is essential to achieve usability alongside business success. Placing all requirements into the categories above helps to

  • Set and communicate priorities
  • Encourage buy-in within the project team
The trade-off between business objectives has been addressed by prioritising them using the headings Must have, Should have, Could have, or Won't have

The MoSCoW model is one simple but effective approach to address conflicts