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Specifications & Requirements

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Executable specifications ensure requirements are clear, testable, and automatically validated—connecting business requirements directly to automated tests as living documentation.

Impact: Requirements clarity, automated validation, living documentation (always current), traceability from requirement to test to code, faster refinement through structured discovery.

Level 1: Initial

Requirements in documents.

  • Requirements in Word docs, PDFs, wikis
  • Requirements disconnected from code
  • Manual verification of requirements
  • Documentation often outdated (drifts)
  • No structured discovery process
  • Testing separate from requirements

Advancing to Level 2: Introduce Gherkin format, set up BDD framework (Cucumber, SpecFlow, Behave), train team on BDD basics and Given-When-Then, start writing specs for new features, learn basic discovery (Example Mapping).

Resources: BDD Fundamentals · Three-Layer Approach · Executable Specifications

Level 2: Managed

BDD basics established.

  • Writing requirements as Gherkin specifications (Given-When-Then)
  • Basic BDD practices (specs before code)
  • Gherkin specs run as automated tests
  • Learning discovery techniques (Example Mapping starting)
  • Converting existing requirements to Gherkin (30-50% coverage)
  • Some living documentation generated

Advancing to Level 3: Complete migration to Gherkin (90%+), implement structured discovery consistently (Event Storming, Example Mapping), generate comprehensive living documentation, ensure specs map to automated tests, implement specification quality gates.

Resources: Example Mapping · Event Storming · Executable Specifications

Level 3: Defined

Comprehensive BDD with structured discovery.

  • Most requirements as executable Gherkin specs (90%+ coverage)
  • Structured discovery workshops standard (Event Storming, Example Mapping)
  • Living documentation auto-generated from specs
  • Specs directly map to automated tests (complete traceability)
  • Specification quality gates enforce standards
  • BDD practices standardized organization-wide

Advancing to Level 4: Implement specification quality metrics (coverage, clarity, completeness), measure effectiveness (correlation with defect rates), track discovery workshop effectiveness, analyze specification patterns, predict requirement issues based on quality.

Resources: Measuring Flow · Specification Quality

Level 4: Quantified

Specification quality measured and optimized.

  • Specification quality metrics tracked (coverage, clarity, completeness)
  • Can predict requirement issues based on patterns
  • Specification effectiveness correlated with outcomes
  • Discovery workshop effectiveness measured
  • Data-driven improvements to specifications

Advancing to Level 5: Experiment with specification techniques (A/B test approaches), implement AI-assisted quality checks, continuously optimize discovery techniques, share BDD innovations with industry.

Resources: Measuring Flow · Specification Quality

Level 5: Optimizing

Continuous BDD evolution.

  • Continuous specification technique evolution (quarterly experiments)
  • Experimentation with BDD approaches (A/B testing discovery methods)
  • AI-assisted specification quality checking
  • Industry leadership (talks, publications)
  • Community contributions (presentations, papers, open source)

Maintaining: Stay current with BDD research, active community participation, regular experimentation with measurement, share learnings.

Level Assessment

You're at a level when:

  • ✅ All characteristics consistently demonstrated organization-wide
  • ✅ Capabilities are sustainable (not dependent on heroes)
  • ✅ You possess the capability, not just working toward it

Level Distinctions:

  • 1 → 2: Write executable Gherkin specs (capability exists)
  • 2 → 3: BDD practiced comprehensively with structured discovery
  • 3 → 4: Measure quality, optimize based on data
  • 4 → 5: Continuous experimentation and innovation

Dependencies:

  • Depends on: Version Control Level 2+ (specs in Git)
  • Enables: Testing Level 2+, Evidence Level 2+
  • Blocks: If weak (Level 1), testing cannot be requirements-driven, traceability is manual

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