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Customer needs and specifications

A customer need is expressed in the customer's own words, like "easy to carry", while a specification translates it into a measurable quantity with a unit and target value, like "mass under 1.2 kg". The requirements specification collects all such measurable requirements and is used to evaluate concepts and verify the finished product.

need (customer’s words)→specification (measurable, with unit)\text{need (customer's words)} \to \text{specification (measurable, with unit)}translating a need into a requirement

Example

The need "the product must survive a drop" can become the specification: "survives a 1.5 m drop onto concrete without functional failure".

A good specification can be verified with a measurement or test — not just judged subjectively.
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Part of Product Development: Process and customer needs.