A Guide to Requirements Lifecycle Management (RLCM) for Electronics Development

Requirements Lifecycle Management (RLCM) is one of the most important elements for ensuring the success of electronics development projects. If teams and key stakeholders can manage requirements from their inception to implementation, they will inevitably avoid costly rework, improve product quality, and provide a flow of goods that meets market demands. That being said, the complexities of electronics development often introduce unique—sometimes unexpected—challenges to RLCM.

If you need guidance on the key steps involved in RLCM, best practices for implementation, and the tools and techniques that can streamline the overall process, you are in the right place; read on. 

Understanding Requirements

When it comes to requirements during electronics development, remember that they serve as the foundation upon which successful products are built. As such, you need to have a comprehensive understanding of requirements to make sure the final product meets the needs and expectations of both users and stakeholders. Below is a breakdown: 

Types of Requirements

Printed circuit board requirements can be broadly categorized into two primary types:

Functional requirements define the specific capabilities and performance characteristics of the PCB. Examples include:

Non-functional requirements address factors beyond the PCB’s functional capabilities. Examples include: 

The Importance of Clear and Concise Requirements

Well-defined and unambiguous requirements are an absolute must for several reasons. Accurate, clear requirements: 

• Reduce misunderstandings and misinterpretations between siloed stakeholders, which reduces the risk of individuals making mistakes during development and ensures that the PCB meets the intended specification, mitigating the need for changes during development;
• Help to identify and address potential design challenges early on, preventing excessive design iterations and reducing overall manufacturing costs;
• Facilitate efficient development and testing, speeding up time-to-market for new products; 
• Ensure that the product aligns with user needs and expectations, which leads to higher quality and satisfaction, reflecting well on the manufacturer;
• Provide a roadmap for development teams that can be used to guide their efforts and ensure that resources are allocated as efficiently as possible.

Techniques for Eliciting and Documenting Requirements

If companies successfully elicit and document requirements, electronics development teams can lay a solid foundation for successful projects. There are several methods that can be used to do so:

• Developing schematic and block diagrams to provide a visual representation of the electronic circuit and its components, aiding teams in the identification of requirements. 
• Referencing data sheets for components and subsystems can help to determine relevant requirements, such as electrical parameters, mechanical dimensions, and environmental tolerances. 
• Adherence to industry standards, such as IPC standards, helps teams ensure compliance with established practices and best practices in PCB design and manufacturing. 
• Regular design reviews involving engineers, designers, and key stakeholders can help to validate and refine requirements, identify potential issues, and ensure that the PCB meets the project objectives.

Requirements Analysis and Prioritization

Once requirements have been gathered and documented, the next step in the process is to analyze and prioritize them to ensure that they are feasible, consistent, and aligned with the overall project goals.

Requirements Analysis

Requirements analysis involves: 

• Feasibility assessment: Evaluating the technical, economic, and resource feasibility of each requirement, which includes considering factors such as component availability, manufacturing capabilities, and budget constraints.
• Consistency checking: Ensuring that requirements do not conflict with each other and are aligned with the project’s ambitions. This involves identifying and resolving any inconsistencies or contradictions.
• Dependency analysis: Identifying dependencies between requirements to understand how changes to one requirement may impact others, helping to avoid unintended consequences and maintain a coherent design.
• Traceability: Establishing traceability links between requirements, design elements, and test cases to make sure that all requirements are addressed and verified. 

Prioritization Techniques

Prioritizing requirements involves assigning relative importance to each requirement based on factors such as:

• Business value: The contribution of the requirement to the overall business objectives and goals.
• Risk: The potential impact of not meeting the requirement on the project’s success or product quality.
• Complexity: The level of effort and resources required to implement the requirement.
• Dependencies: The relationship between the requirement and other requirements, as well as its impact on the project timeline.

Common prioritization techniques include:

Considerations in PCB Design

When prioritizing PCB requirements, stakeholders must remember that it is essential to consider the specific challenges and constraints within the industry, which are, in some cases, much more pressing than in other industries. 

• Prioritize requirements that are compatible with the capabilities and limitations of the chosen manufacturing process. 
• Balance the importance of requirements with the associated costs of implementation.
• Consider the impact of requirements on the project timeline and prioritize those that are critical for meeting the desired launch date.
• Evaluate the trade-offs between different requirements and prioritize those that contribute most to the desired performance characteristics of the PCB. 

To reiterate: PCB designers, by carefully analyzing and prioritizing requirements, can ensure that their efforts are focused on the most critical aspects of the project, leading to more efficient development, higher quality, and a greater degree of customer satisfaction—assuming all goes as it should. 

Requirements Management in PCB Design

Once requirements have been analyzed and prioritized, teams need to effectively manage them throughout the PCB design process—this is absolutely crucial. Fortunately, there are techniques and tools used in the industry to track, trace, and update requirements as needed. 

Tracking and Tracing Requirements

• Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM): An RTM is a document that links requirements to design elements, such as schematics, PCB layouts, and test cases. This ensures that all requirements are addressed and verified. 
• Version Control: Implementing a version control system for requirements documents helps to track changes, maintain a history of revisions, and resolve conflicts.
• Requirement Identification Numbers: Assigning unique identification numbers to each requirement facilitates tracking and referencing. 

Managing Changes to Requirements

• Change Management Process: Establishing a formal process for evaluating, approving, and implementing changes to requirements helps to maintain control and prevent unintended consequences.
• Impact Analysis: Assessing the potential impact of changes on the project schedule, budget, and design ensures that the decision-making process is informed and considered. 
• Configuration Management: Maintaining a configuration management database to track changes to both requirements and design artifacts.

Requirements Management Tools

The benefits of investment in technology cannot be understated when it comes to managing requirements. Specialized software tools, like Altium 365 Requirements & Systems Portal, provide a complete solution for managing requirements, compliance information, and project documentation in a single interface throughout the design and development process.

Such tools, including Altium’s own offering, can be integrated with PCB design tools, like Altium Designer, which empowers teams through collaboration and synchronization between requirements and design artifacts.

Best Practices for Requirements Management

Requirements Verification and Validation

Once PCB requirements have been managed throughout the design process, you must verify and validate them to ensure that the final product meets the desired specifications. Verification involves checking that the design and implementation are correct and consistent with requirements; validation, meanwhile, involves the evaluation of the product’s functionality, performance, and usability in real-world scenarios. There are several techniques for both: 

Verification

• Conduct peer reviews and design inspections to identify errors, inconsistencies, and potential issues in the design.
• Use simulation tools to model the behavior of the PCB under various conditions, such as electrical performance, thermal analysis, and signal integrity.
• Analyze the PCB design code for potential errors, vulnerabilities, and non-compliance with coding standards. 
• Apply mathematical expressions to prove the correctness of the PCB design to make sure it meets its functional requirements. 

Validation

• Test the PCB’s functionality against specified requirements to ensure it performs in the intended manner. 
• Evaluate the performance in terms of speed, throughput, and other relevant metrics. 
• Assess its ability to withstand environmental conditions, aging, and stress. 
• Check the PCB’s ease of use and make sure it is compatible with other components and systems found in electronic devices.

Best Practices for Verification and Validation (V&V)

Moving forward, RLCM will continue to be a critical component of successful electronics development; companies that want to get or stay ahead must learn to manage requirements from inception to implementation if they want their teams to avoid rework, improve product quality, and meet increasing market demands. That being said, electronics development introduces a myriad of unique challenges to the RLCM process.

Rest assured, however, that by following best practices and adopting tools like Altium 365, your teams can improve the process and achieve greater success in their PCB projects. To learn more about Altium 365, explore the various efficiencies and integrations that this innovative software can unlock for your company.