ICT Governance Framework - Requirements Specification
Project: ICT Governance Framework Application
Document Type: Core Analysis - Requirements Specification
Version: 1.0
Prepared by: ICT Governance Project Team
Date: August 8, 2025
Project Investment: $1,275,000 | Annual Value: $2,300,000 | Timeline: 65 weeks
Executive Summary
This Requirements Specification defines the comprehensive functional and non-functional requirements for the ICT Governance Framework Application. Based on detailed stakeholder analysis, user personas, and business case validation, this document establishes 180+ detailed requirements across 12 functional domains to deliver $2.3M in annual business value through AI-powered governance excellence.
| Requirements Overview: 180+ detailed requirements |
12 functional domains |
15 integration points |
85 user stories coverage |
Requirements Management Framework
Requirements Methodology
- Stakeholder-Driven: Requirements derived from comprehensive stakeholder analysis across 15 key roles
- User-Centric Design: Requirements aligned with 12 detailed user personas and 85 user stories
- Value-Focused: Each requirement mapped to specific business value and ROI contribution
- Traceability Matrix: Complete traceability from business objectives to technical implementation
- Agile Compatible: Requirements structured for agile development and iterative delivery
Requirements Classification
- MoSCoW Prioritization: Must Have (70%), Should Have (20%), Could Have (8%), Won’t Have (2%)
- Business Value Scoring: 1-10 scale based on contribution to $2.3M annual value target
- Implementation Complexity: Low, Medium, High complexity rating for planning and estimation
- Risk Assessment: Associated implementation and business risks for each requirement
- Stakeholder Impact: Stakeholder groups affected by each requirement
Requirements Validation Framework
- Stakeholder Review: Systematic review process across all affected stakeholder groups
- Business Case Alignment: Validation against business case value propositions
- Technical Feasibility: Architecture and technology validation for all requirements
- Regulatory Compliance: Compliance validation against applicable regulations
- User Experience: UX validation through persona-based scenario analysis
FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
F1. GOVERNANCE ENGINE
F1.1 Governance Workflow Management
F1.1.1 Workflow Definition and Configuration (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall provide a visual workflow designer for defining governance processes
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Drag-and-drop workflow designer with intuitive interface
- Support for parallel and sequential workflow paths
- Conditional branching based on business rules
- Role-based task assignment and approval chains
- Escalation rules for overdue tasks and exceptions
- Version control for workflow definitions
- Business Value: $85,000 annually through process standardization and efficiency
- Stakeholders: IT Director, Governance Analyst, Process Owners
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: User Management System, Role Framework
F1.1.2 Automated Workflow Execution (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall automatically execute defined governance workflows
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Real-time workflow execution with SLA monitoring
- Automatic task routing based on roles and responsibilities
- Email and system notifications for pending tasks
- Escalation triggers for missed deadlines
- Audit trail for all workflow activities
- Integration with external systems for data retrieval
- Business Value: $125,000 annually through automation and efficiency gains
- Stakeholders: All governance stakeholders
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Notification System, Integration Framework
- Requirement: The system shall provide comprehensive workflow performance analytics
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Real-time workflow performance dashboards
- Cycle time analysis and bottleneck identification
- SLA compliance monitoring and reporting
- Process efficiency metrics and trends
- Comparative analysis across different workflows
- Automated performance alerts and recommendations
- Business Value: $45,000 annually through process optimization
- Stakeholders: Governance Analyst, IT Director
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Analytics Engine, Dashboard Framework
F1.2 Policy Management
F1.2.1 Policy Lifecycle Management (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall manage the complete policy lifecycle from creation to retirement
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Policy template library with governance standards
- Version control with change tracking and approval workflow
- Policy review and approval workflow with electronic signatures
- Automated policy review reminders and expiration alerts
- Policy retirement and archival management
- Cross-reference tracking between related policies
- Business Value: $75,000 annually through policy management efficiency
- Stakeholders: Chief Compliance Officer, Policy Owners, Legal Team
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Document Management, Workflow Engine
F1.2.2 Policy Compliance Monitoring (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall automatically monitor policy compliance across the organization
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Automated compliance checking against defined policies
- Real-time compliance status dashboard
- Exception identification and alert generation
- Compliance reporting with drill-down capabilities
- Integration with monitoring systems for automated data collection
- Risk-based compliance prioritization
- Business Value: $150,000 annually through automated compliance monitoring
- Stakeholders: Chief Compliance Officer, Risk Manager, Audit Team
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Integration Framework, Analytics Engine
F1.2.3 Policy Intelligence and Recommendations (Should Have - Priority 8)
- Requirement: The system shall provide AI-powered policy insights and recommendations
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Policy gap analysis using AI/ML algorithms
- Automated policy optimization recommendations
- Best practice identification from policy performance data
- Predictive compliance risk assessment
- Industry benchmark comparison for policy effectiveness
- Natural language policy analysis and summarization
- Business Value: $35,000 annually through policy optimization
- Stakeholders: Chief Compliance Officer, Policy Analysts
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: AI/ML Framework, Industry Data Sources
F1.3 Risk Assessment and Management
F1.3.1 Risk Identification and Assessment (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall provide comprehensive risk identification and assessment capabilities
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Risk taxonomy and categorization framework
- Automated risk identification using AI/ML algorithms
- Quantitative and qualitative risk assessment methodologies
- Risk impact and probability assessment tools
- Risk relationship mapping and dependency analysis
- Integration with external threat intelligence sources
- Business Value: $200,000 annually through proactive risk management
- Stakeholders: Risk Manager, Security Architect, Executive Team
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: AI/ML Framework, External Data Sources
F1.3.2 Risk Mitigation Planning and Tracking (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall support comprehensive risk mitigation planning and tracking
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Risk mitigation strategy planning tools
- Mitigation action assignment and tracking
- Risk treatment cost-benefit analysis
- Mitigation effectiveness measurement
- Risk register maintenance and reporting
- Escalation processes for critical risks
- Business Value: $120,000 annually through effective risk mitigation
- Stakeholders: Risk Manager, Risk Owners, Executive Team
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Workflow Engine, Project Management Integration
F1.3.3 Predictive Risk Analytics (Should Have - Priority 8)
- Requirement: The system shall provide predictive risk analytics and early warning capabilities
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Machine learning models for risk prediction
- Early warning systems for emerging risks
- Scenario analysis and stress testing capabilities
- Risk trend analysis and forecasting
- Automated risk alert generation
- Integration with business intelligence systems
- Business Value: $80,000 annually through predictive risk management
- Stakeholders: Risk Manager, Data Scientist, Executive Team
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: AI/ML Framework, Historical Data, BI Integration
F2. ANALYTICS AND INTELLIGENCE
F2.1 Governance Analytics
F2.1.1 Real-Time Governance Dashboard (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall provide real-time governance performance dashboards for all stakeholder roles
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Role-based dashboard customization
- Real-time KPI monitoring and alerts
- Interactive charts and visualizations
- Drill-down capabilities for detailed analysis
- Mobile-responsive design for all devices
- Automated dashboard refresh and data synchronization
- Business Value: $95,000 annually through improved decision-making
- Stakeholders: All stakeholder roles
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Data Integration, Analytics Engine
F2.1.2 Advanced Analytics and Reporting (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall provide advanced analytics and comprehensive reporting capabilities
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Statistical analysis tools and algorithms
- Custom report builder with template library
- Scheduled report generation and distribution
- Export capabilities (PDF, Excel, CSV, API)
- Comparative analysis and benchmarking
- Ad-hoc query and analysis capabilities
- Business Value: $65,000 annually through enhanced reporting efficiency
- Stakeholders: Governance Analyst, Data Scientist, Executive Team
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Data Warehouse, BI Tools
- Requirement: The system shall provide governance performance benchmarking against industry standards
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Industry benchmark data integration
- Automated benchmarking analysis and scoring
- Gap analysis and improvement recommendations
- Maturity assessment against governance frameworks
- Peer group comparison capabilities
- Trend analysis and competitive positioning
- Business Value: $40,000 annually through competitive insights
- Stakeholders: Executive Team, Governance Analyst
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: External Benchmark Data, Analytics Engine
F2.2 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
F2.2.1 Intelligent Process Automation (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall provide AI-powered automation for routine governance processes
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Machine learning models for process optimization
- Automated decision-making for routine tasks
- Intelligent routing and assignment algorithms
- Exception handling with human oversight
- Learning algorithms that improve over time
- Automation performance monitoring and tuning
- Business Value: $180,000 annually through intelligent automation
- Stakeholders: All process participants
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: AI/ML Framework, Process Data
F2.2.2 Predictive Analytics Engine (Must Have - Priority 8)
- Requirement: The system shall provide predictive analytics for governance planning and optimization
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Predictive models for governance outcomes
- Forecasting capabilities for resource planning
- What-if scenario analysis tools
- Confidence intervals and uncertainty quantification
- Model validation and performance monitoring
- Integration with business planning systems
- Business Value: $110,000 annually through predictive insights
- Stakeholders: Data Scientist, Executive Team, Planners
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Historical Data, ML Models, Statistical Tools
F2.2.3 Natural Language Processing (Should Have - Priority 6)
- Requirement: The system shall provide NLP capabilities for document analysis and automation
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Automated document classification and tagging
- Policy and procedure analysis and summarization
- Intelligent search and content discovery
- Sentiment analysis for stakeholder feedback
- Automated compliance checking using NLP
- Multi-language support for global operations
- Business Value: $55,000 annually through document automation
- Stakeholders: Policy Managers, Compliance Officers, Analysts
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: NLP Framework, Document Repository
F2.3 Data Visualization and Business Intelligence
F2.3.1 Interactive Data Visualization (Must Have - Priority 8)
- Requirement: The system shall provide interactive data visualization capabilities
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Dynamic charts, graphs, and visual representations
- Interactive filtering and drill-down capabilities
- Customizable visualization options and themes
- Real-time data visualization updates
- Export and sharing capabilities
- Integration with popular BI tools
- Business Value: $70,000 annually through enhanced data insights
- Stakeholders: Analysts, Executives, Decision Makers
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Data Sources, Visualization Libraries
F2.3.2 Self-Service Analytics (Should Have - Priority 7)
- Requirement: The system shall provide self-service analytics capabilities for business users
- Acceptance Criteria:
- User-friendly analytics interface for non-technical users
- Drag-and-drop report and dashboard creation
- Guided analytics with recommendations
- Data exploration tools with visual query builder
- Collaborative analytics and sharing features
- Training and help resources integrated into interface
- Business Value: $45,000 annually through user empowerment
- Stakeholders: Business Users, Analysts
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: BI Platform, User Training
F3. COMPLIANCE AND AUDIT MANAGEMENT
F3.1 Regulatory Compliance Management
F3.1.1 Compliance Framework Management (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall manage multiple regulatory compliance frameworks simultaneously
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Support for major frameworks (SOX, GDPR, ISO 27001, COBIT, etc.)
- Framework mapping and relationship management
- Compliance requirement tracking and management
- Gap analysis and remediation planning
- Multi-jurisdiction compliance support
- Framework update management and impact assessment
- Business Value: $175,000 annually through comprehensive compliance management
- Stakeholders: Chief Compliance Officer, Legal Team, Audit Team
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Regulatory Databases, Legal Updates
F3.1.2 Automated Compliance Monitoring (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall provide automated compliance monitoring and validation
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Real-time compliance status monitoring
- Automated compliance testing and validation
- Exception identification and alerting
- Compliance reporting and dashboard
- Evidence collection and management
- Integration with operational systems for data collection
- Business Value: $150,000 annually through automation and risk reduction
- Stakeholders: Compliance Officers, Audit Team, Risk Managers
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: System Integrations, Monitoring Tools
F3.1.3 Compliance Reporting and Documentation (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall provide comprehensive compliance reporting and documentation
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Automated compliance report generation
- Regulatory filing support and submission
- Evidence package creation for audits
- Compliance certificate and attestation management
- Historical compliance tracking and trending
- Multi-format reporting (PDF, Excel, XML, etc.)
- Business Value: $85,000 annually through reporting efficiency
- Stakeholders: Compliance Officers, External Auditors, Regulators
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Document Management, Report Templates
F3.2 Audit Management
F3.2.1 Audit Planning and Scheduling (Should Have - Priority 8)
- Requirement: The system shall support comprehensive audit planning and scheduling
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Risk-based audit planning and prioritization
- Audit calendar management and scheduling
- Resource allocation and capacity planning
- Audit scope definition and management
- Stakeholder coordination and communication
- Integration with project management tools
- Business Value: $60,000 annually through audit efficiency
- Stakeholders: Audit Team, Internal Auditors, External Auditors
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Calendar Systems, Resource Management
F3.2.2 Audit Execution and Documentation (Should Have - Priority 8)
- Requirement: The system shall support audit execution and comprehensive documentation
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Audit checklist and procedure management
- Evidence collection and documentation
- Finding tracking and categorization
- Audit workpaper management
- Collaborative audit team workspace
- Mobile support for on-site audit activities
- Business Value: $55,000 annually through audit process improvement
- Stakeholders: Audit Team, Auditees
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Document Management, Mobile Platform
- Requirement: The system shall provide comprehensive audit finding management and remediation tracking
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Finding classification and risk rating
- Remediation plan development and assignment
- Progress tracking and status reporting
- Escalation procedures for overdue items
- Management response and approval workflow
- Follow-up audit planning and scheduling
- Business Value: $75,000 annually through improved remediation
- Stakeholders: Audit Team, Management, Finding Owners
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Workflow Engine, Notification System
F4. USER EXPERIENCE AND INTERFACE
F4.1 User Interface Design
F4.1.1 Responsive Web Interface (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall provide a responsive web-based user interface
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Mobile-first responsive design
- Cross-browser compatibility (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
- Accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1 AA)
- Intuitive navigation and user experience
- Consistent design language and branding
- Fast loading times (<3 seconds)
- Business Value: $45,000 annually through improved user experience
- Stakeholders: All Users
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Web Framework, UX Design
F4.1.2 Role-Based Interface Customization (Must Have - Priority 8)
- Requirement: The system shall provide role-based interface customization
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Personalized dashboards for each role
- Customizable widgets and layout options
- Role-specific navigation and menu structures
- Contextual information and help
- Saved preferences and settings
- Administrative interface customization tools
- Business Value: $35,000 annually through improved productivity
- Stakeholders: All User Roles
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Role Management, User Preferences
F4.1.3 Mobile Application Support (Should Have - Priority 6)
- Requirement: The system shall provide mobile application support for key functions
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Native or progressive web app for mobile devices
- Essential functions available offline
- Push notifications for critical alerts
- Touch-optimized interface design
- Secure authentication and data protection
- Cross-platform compatibility (iOS, Android)
- Business Value: $25,000 annually through mobile productivity
- Stakeholders: Mobile Users, Executives
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Mobile Framework, Security Framework
F4.2 User Experience Features
F4.2.1 Intelligent Search and Discovery (Should Have - Priority 7)
- Requirement: The system shall provide intelligent search and content discovery capabilities
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Full-text search across all system content
- Contextual and semantic search capabilities
- Search result ranking and relevance scoring
- Saved searches and search history
- Faceted search with filtering options
- AI-powered search suggestions and recommendations
- Business Value: $30,000 annually through improved information access
- Stakeholders: All Users
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Search Engine, AI Framework
- Requirement: The system shall provide integrated collaboration and communication tools
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Real-time commenting and discussion threads
- Document collaboration and co-editing
- Task assignment and team coordination
- Notification and messaging system
- Video conferencing integration
- Social features for knowledge sharing
- Business Value: $40,000 annually through improved collaboration
- Stakeholders: All Collaborative Users
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Communication Platforms, Real-time Framework
F4.2.3 Personalization and AI Assistance (Could Have - Priority 5)
- Requirement: The system shall provide personalization and AI-powered user assistance
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Personalized recommendations and insights
- AI-powered virtual assistant for user support
- Adaptive interface based on usage patterns
- Intelligent notifications and alerts
- Learning algorithms for user preference optimization
- Contextual help and guidance
- Business Value: $20,000 annually through personalization
- Stakeholders: All Users
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: AI Framework, User Behavior Analytics
F5. INTEGRATION AND DATA MANAGEMENT
F5.1 Enterprise System Integration
F5.1.1 ERP System Integration (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall integrate with enterprise ERP systems for financial and resource data
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Real-time data synchronization with ERP systems
- Financial data integration for cost allocation and tracking
- Resource and project data integration
- Automated data validation and error handling
- Secure API-based integration with audit trail
- Support for major ERP platforms (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics)
- Business Value: $120,000 annually through data integration efficiency
- Stakeholders: Finance Team, Project Managers, Executives
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: ERP APIs, Integration Platform
F5.1.2 Identity and Access Management Integration (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall integrate with enterprise identity and access management systems
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Single sign-on (SSO) authentication
- Role and permission synchronization
- Multi-factor authentication support
- User provisioning and de-provisioning automation
- Compliance with enterprise security policies
- Support for LDAP, SAML, OAuth protocols
- Business Value: $65,000 annually through security and efficiency
- Stakeholders: All Users, Security Team, IT Operations
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Enterprise IAM, Security Framework
F5.1.3 Business Intelligence System Integration (Should Have - Priority 7)
- Requirement: The system shall integrate with enterprise business intelligence and analytics platforms
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Data export to BI platforms for advanced analytics
- Embedded BI dashboards and reports
- Data warehouse integration and ETL processes
- Real-time data streaming for analytics
- Metadata synchronization and data lineage
- Support for major BI platforms (Power BI, Tableau, QlikView)
- Business Value: $50,000 annually through enhanced analytics
- Stakeholders: Data Scientists, Business Analysts, Executives
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: BI Platforms, Data Warehouse
- Requirement: The system shall integrate with ITSM platforms for ticket and change management
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Bi-directional integration with popular ITSM tools (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira Service Management)
- Automatic incident/issue creation from compliance or risk events with context payloads
- Change request creation for policy exceptions and remediation workflows
- Synchronization of ticket state, assignees, and SLAs
- Webhook/event-driven updates to keep records in sync
- Role-based controls to limit which events create tickets
- Business Value: $60,000 annually through streamlined operations and faster resolution
- Stakeholders: IT Operations, Service Desk, Compliance Officers
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: ITSM APIs, Integration Platform
F5.1.5 Cost Management and Billing Integration (Should Have - Priority 7)
- Requirement: The system shall integrate with cost management and billing systems
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Ingestion of cost and usage data per resource, subscription, and business unit
- Mapping of resources to cost centers via tags and metadata
- Policy checks for budget thresholds and cost anomalies
- Showback/chargeback reports aligned to governance KPIs
- Integration with Azure Cost Management APIs and export pipelines
- Alerts on forecast overspend and orphaned resources
- Business Value: $55,000 annually through cost optimization and financial transparency
- Stakeholders: Finance Team, CIO, Cloud Platform Owners
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Cost Management APIs, Tagging Standards
F5.1.6 Cloud Management API Integration (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall integrate with cloud management APIs (e.g., Azure Resource Manager and Azure Policy) for inventory, compliance, and control
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Resource discovery and inventory via ARM/ARG with near real-time updates
- Policy assignment/query, compliance state retrieval, and evidence export
- Support for activity logs and diagnostic settings configuration
- Scoped operations at management group, subscription, and resource group levels
- Robust throttling/retry and backoff for API limits
- Secure app registration/managed identity with least privilege
- Business Value: $90,000 annually through comprehensive visibility and control
- Stakeholders: Cloud Platform Owners, Security, Compliance
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Cloud APIs, Identity Platform, Logging
F5.2 Data Management
F5.2.1 Master Data Management (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall provide comprehensive master data management capabilities
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Centralized master data repository
- Data quality validation and cleansing
- Data stewardship and governance processes
- Reference data management and synchronization
- Data lineage tracking and impact analysis
- Data versioning and change management
- Business Value: $85,000 annually through data quality improvement
- Stakeholders: Data Stewards, IT Operations, All Data Users
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Data Integration, Data Quality Tools
F5.2.2 Data Security and Privacy (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall provide comprehensive data security and privacy protection
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Data encryption at rest and in transit
- Role-based data access controls
- Data masking and anonymization capabilities
- GDPR and privacy regulation compliance
- Data retention and disposal policies
- Audit trail for all data access and modifications
- Business Value: $100,000 annually through risk reduction and compliance
- Stakeholders: Security Team, Privacy Officers, All Data Users
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Security Framework, Encryption Tools
F5.2.3 Data Backup and Recovery (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall provide comprehensive data backup and recovery capabilities
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Automated daily backups with versioning
- Point-in-time recovery capabilities
- Geographically distributed backup storage
- Recovery time objective (RTO) < 4 hours
- Recovery point objective (RPO) < 1 hour
- Disaster recovery testing and validation
- Business Value: $75,000 annually through risk mitigation
- Stakeholders: IT Operations, Business Continuity Team
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Backup Infrastructure, Cloud Storage
- Requirement: The system shall implement a structured data model and comprehensive metadata management
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Hierarchical data model reflecting organizational structure (enterprise → BU → department → team)
- Resource metadata includes owner, steward, cost center, environment, criticality, and purpose
- Explicit relationships among resources, policies, controls, and compliance findings
- Support for custom metadata attributes with validation and governance
- Historical snapshots of key objects to support trend analysis and audits
- End-to-end data lineage for governance metrics and reports
- Business Value: $70,000 annually through improved accountability and analytics
- Stakeholders: Data Stewards, Compliance, Finance, Platform Owners
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Metadata Repository, MDM, Tagging Standards
F6. SECURITY AND ACCESS CONTROL
F6.1 Security Architecture
F6.1.1 Zero-Trust Security Model (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall implement a zero-trust security architecture
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Identity verification for all users and devices
- Least privilege access principles
- Continuous security monitoring and validation
- Micro-segmentation for network security
- Real-time threat detection and response
- Integration with enterprise security tools (SIEM, SOC)
- Business Value: $150,000 annually through enhanced security
- Stakeholders: Security Team, All Users, IT Operations
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Security Tools, Network Infrastructure
F6.1.2 Advanced Threat Protection (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall provide advanced threat protection capabilities
- Acceptance Criteria:
- AI-powered threat detection and analysis
- Behavioral analytics for anomaly detection
- Real-time security alerting and response
- Integration with threat intelligence feeds
- Automated incident response capabilities
- Security analytics and forensics tools
- Business Value: $120,000 annually through threat prevention
- Stakeholders: Security Team, SOC, IT Operations
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: AI Framework, Security Intelligence
F6.1.3 Security Compliance and Audit (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall provide comprehensive security compliance and audit capabilities
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Automated security compliance checking
- Security control assessment and validation
- Compliance reporting and documentation
- Security audit trail and logging
- Vulnerability assessment and management
- Security metrics and KPI tracking
- Business Value: $95,000 annually through compliance automation
- Stakeholders: Security Team, Compliance Officers, Auditors
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Compliance Framework, Audit Tools
F6.2 Access Control and Authentication
F6.2.1 Advanced Authentication (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall provide advanced authentication mechanisms
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) support
- Biometric authentication options
- Risk-based authentication decisions
- Single sign-on (SSO) integration
- Certificate-based authentication
- Authentication audit trail and monitoring
- Business Value: $80,000 annually through security enhancement
- Stakeholders: All Users, Security Team
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Authentication Systems, PKI Infrastructure
F6.2.2 Dynamic Access Control (Must Have - Priority 8)
- Requirement: The system shall provide dynamic, context-aware access control
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Role-based access control (RBAC)
- Attribute-based access control (ABAC)
- Context-aware access decisions
- Dynamic permission adjustment
- Access request and approval workflow
- Access analytics and optimization
- Business Value: $60,000 annually through improved security and efficiency
- Stakeholders: Security Team, System Administrators, All Users
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Identity Management, Policy Engine
F7.1.1 Response Time Requirements (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall meet specified response time requirements
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Page load times < 2 seconds for 95% of requests
- API response times < 500ms for standard operations
- Database query response times < 1 second
- Real-time data updates with < 5 second latency
- Concurrent user support for 1000+ users
- Performance monitoring and alerting
- Business Value: $45,000 annually through productivity improvement
- Stakeholders: All Users, IT Operations
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Infrastructure, Performance Monitoring
F7.1.2 System Availability (Must Have - Priority 10)
- Requirement: The system shall provide high availability and uptime
- Acceptance Criteria:
- 99.9% system availability during business hours
- Planned maintenance windows outside business hours
- Automatic failover and recovery capabilities
- Load balancing and redundancy
- Health monitoring and automated alerts
- Disaster recovery capabilities
- Business Value: $85,000 annually through business continuity
- Stakeholders: All Users, Business Operations, IT Operations
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Infrastructure, Monitoring Systems
F7.2 Scalability Requirements
F7.2.1 User Scalability (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall scale to support organizational growth
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Support for 5,000+ registered users
- 1,000+ concurrent users without performance degradation
- Linear scalability with user growth
- Multi-tenant architecture support
- Geographic distribution capabilities
- Auto-scaling based on demand
- Business Value: $55,000 annually through future-proofing
- Stakeholders: IT Operations, Business Growth Planning
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Cloud Platform, Architecture Design
F7.2.2 Data Scalability (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall scale to handle growing data volumes
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Support for 100TB+ of governance data
- Efficient data archiving and retention
- Big data processing capabilities
- Data partitioning and sharding strategies
- Optimized data storage and retrieval
- Performance maintenance with data growth
- Business Value: $40,000 annually through data management efficiency
- Stakeholders: Data Management Team, IT Operations
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Database Architecture, Cloud Storage
F8. MONITORING AND ALERTING
F8.1 System Monitoring
F8.1.1 Comprehensive System Monitoring (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall provide comprehensive monitoring of all system components
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Real-time system health monitoring
- Application performance monitoring (APM)
- Infrastructure monitoring and alerting
- User experience monitoring
- Business process monitoring
- Integration endpoint monitoring
- Business Value: $35,000 annually through proactive issue resolution
- Stakeholders: IT Operations, System Administrators
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Monitoring Tools, Infrastructure
F8.1.2 Intelligent Alerting System (Must Have - Priority 8)
- Requirement: The system shall provide intelligent alerting and notification capabilities
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Configurable alert thresholds and conditions
- Multi-channel alert delivery (email, SMS, mobile push)
- Alert escalation and routing rules
- Alert correlation and noise reduction
- Business impact assessment for alerts
- Alert response tracking and resolution
- Business Value: $30,000 annually through faster incident response
- Stakeholders: IT Operations, Business Users, Executives
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Notification Systems, Monitoring Platform
F8.2 Business Process Monitoring
F8.2.1 Governance Process Monitoring (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall monitor governance processes and business outcomes
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Real-time governance KPI monitoring
- Business process performance tracking
- SLA monitoring and compliance alerting
- Value realization tracking and reporting
- Stakeholder engagement monitoring
- Continuous improvement opportunity identification
- Business Value: $50,000 annually through business process optimization
- Stakeholders: Business Process Owners, Executives, Governance Team
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Business Process Data, Analytics Framework
F8.2.2 Predictive Monitoring and Analytics (Should Have - Priority 7)
- Requirement: The system shall provide predictive monitoring and proactive alerts
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Predictive analytics for system performance
- Anomaly detection using machine learning
- Capacity planning and resource optimization
- Predictive maintenance scheduling
- Business outcome forecasting
- Automated optimization recommendations
- Business Value: $25,000 annually through predictive insights
- Stakeholders: IT Operations, Business Analysts, Data Scientists
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: ML Framework, Historical Data
F9. INFRASTRUCTURE AS CODE (IaC) GOVERNANCE
F9.1 IaC Policy Validation and Compliance
F9.1.1 Pre-Deployment Policy Validation (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall validate IaC templates (e.g., Bicep/ARM/Terraform) against governance policies prior to deployment
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Static analysis and policy-as-code evaluation during PR/CI stages
- Fail-fast on critical policy violations with actionable feedback
- Artifact of validation results attached to CI runs and PRs
- Support for organization-specific and industry baseline policies
- Integration with Azure Policy and template analyzers (e.g., Bicep linter, Checkov)
- Exceptions workflow with approvals and time-bound waivers
- Business Value: $95,000 annually via prevention of non-compliant changes
- Stakeholders: DevOps Engineers, Cloud Platform Owners, Security
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: CI/CD Platform, Policy Engines, SCM
F9.1.2 Compliant Template Generation (Should Have - Priority 8)
- Requirement: The system shall generate governance-compliant IaC templates from approved patterns
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Library of pre-approved blueprints with parameterized inputs
- Automatic injection of required tags, policies, RBAC, and diagnostics
- Environment overlays (dev/test/prod) with drift-safe defaults
- Versioned templates with changelogs and deprecation notices
- Developer scaffolding tools and examples
- Template quality gates in CI (lint, build, test)
- Business Value: $65,000 annually through faster, safer delivery
- Stakeholders: Developers, DevOps, Security Architects
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: Template Repos, Artifact Storage, CI Tooling
F9.1.3 Deployment Compliance Tracking (Must Have - Priority 8)
- Requirement: The system shall track post-deployment compliance of resources created via IaC
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Correlate deployed resources to their originating commits/builds
- Continuous compliance scans and drift detection with remediation hooks
- Compliance scorecards per service, team, and portfolio
- Integration with change records and audit evidence packages
- SLA metrics for remediation timeliness
- Dashboards and APIs for compliance status
- Business Value: $75,000 annually through reduced risk and audit effort
- Stakeholders: Compliance Officers, Auditors, Engineering Leadership
- Implementation Complexity: High
- Dependencies: Inventory, Azure Policy/ARG, Monitoring
F9.1.4 CI/CD Integration (Must Have - Priority 9)
- Requirement: The system shall integrate with CI/CD to enforce governance across build and release pipelines
- Acceptance Criteria:
- Pipeline gates for policy validation and security scanning
- Required checks on pull requests for protected branches
- Signed artifacts and provenance tracking (SLSA-aligned)
- Canary/blue-green deployment patterns with automated rollback
- Release evidence bundles including approvals, tests, and policy results
- Metrics for pipeline DORA indicators (lead time, change fail rate, MTTR, deployment frequency)
- Business Value: $85,000 annually via safer releases and faster recovery
- Stakeholders: Release Managers, DevOps, Security
- Implementation Complexity: Medium
- Dependencies: CI/CD Platform, Secrets Management, Artifact Registry
NON-FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
NF1.1 Response Time Requirements
- Web Interface Response: < 2 seconds for 95% of page loads
- API Response Time: < 500ms for standard operations, < 2 seconds for complex operations
- Database Query Performance: < 1 second for standard queries, < 5 seconds for complex reports
- Real-time Updates: < 5 seconds for data refresh and notifications
- File Upload/Download: 10MB files in < 30 seconds on standard connection
NF1.2 Throughput Requirements
- Concurrent Users: Support 1,000+ concurrent users without performance degradation
- Transaction Volume: Handle 10,000+ transactions per hour
- API Calls: Support 1,000+ API calls per minute
- Data Processing: Process 1GB+ data files within 30 minutes
- Report Generation: Generate complex reports for 500+ records in < 2 minutes
NF2. SCALABILITY REQUIREMENTS
NF2.1 User Scalability
- Registered Users: Support up to 5,000 registered users
- Concurrent Users: Linear scalability up to 2,000 concurrent users
- Geographic Distribution: Support users across multiple time zones and locations
- Multi-tenancy: Architecture ready for multi-tenant deployment if needed
NF2.2 Data Scalability
- Data Volume: Handle 100TB+ of governance data over 5 years
- Database Growth: 20% annual data growth without performance impact
- Archive Strategy: Automated data archiving for historical information
- Backup Scalability: Backup processes scale with data volume growth
NF3. AVAILABILITY AND RELIABILITY
NF3.1 System Availability
- Uptime: 99.9% availability during business hours (8 AM - 6 PM, Monday-Friday)
- Downtime: Maximum 4 hours planned maintenance per month
- Recovery Time: RTO < 4 hours for critical failures
- Data Recovery: RPO < 1 hour for data loss scenarios
NF3.2 Fault Tolerance
- Redundancy: No single points of failure in critical system components
- Auto-Recovery: Automatic recovery from transient failures
- Graceful Degradation: System continues operating with reduced functionality during partial failures
- Error Handling: Comprehensive error handling and user-friendly error messages
NF4. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS
NF4.1 Authentication and Authorization
- Multi-Factor Authentication: Required for all users accessing sensitive data
- Single Sign-On: Integration with enterprise SSO systems
- Session Management: Secure session handling with configurable timeout
- Password Policy: Configurable password complexity and rotation requirements
NF4.2 Data Protection
- Encryption: AES-256 encryption for data at rest and TLS 1.3 for data in transit
- Data Classification: Support for multiple data classification levels
- Data Masking: Automatic data masking for non-production environments
- Audit Trail: Comprehensive audit logging for all data access and modifications
- Tamper-Evident Logging: Tamper-evident logging mechanisms for critical audit events
- Log Retention: Log retention policies aligned with regulatory and corporate requirements
NF4.3 Privacy and Compliance
- GDPR Compliance: Full compliance with GDPR requirements including right to erasure
- Data Residency: Configurable data storage location for regulatory compliance
- Privacy Controls: Comprehensive privacy controls and consent management
- Regulatory Reporting: Support for various regulatory reporting requirements
NF5. USABILITY REQUIREMENTS
NF5.1 User Interface
- Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for accessibility
- Browser Support: Support for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge (latest 2 versions)
- Mobile Responsiveness: Responsive design working on tablets and smartphones
- Loading Performance: Initial page load < 3 seconds on standard connections
NF5.2 User Experience
- Intuitive Design: Interface requires minimal training for basic functions
- Help System: Context-sensitive help and comprehensive documentation
- Error Prevention: Input validation and confirmation for critical operations
- Personalization: User-configurable interface preferences and settings
NF6. INTEGRATION REQUIREMENTS
NF6.1 API Requirements
- RESTful APIs: Comprehensive REST API with OpenAPI documentation
- API Security: OAuth 2.0 and API key authentication for external integrations
- API Versioning: Version management with backward compatibility
- Rate Limiting: Configurable rate limiting to prevent abuse
- API Analytics: Usage analytics and observability for API consumption and performance
NF6.2 Data Integration
- Real-time Integration: Support for real-time data synchronization
- Batch Processing: Efficient batch data import/export capabilities
- Data Formats: Support for JSON, XML, CSV, and industry-standard formats
- Error Handling: Robust error handling and retry mechanisms for integrations
NF7. MAINTAINABILITY REQUIREMENTS
NF7.1 Code Quality
- Documentation: Comprehensive technical documentation and code comments
- Code Standards: Adherence to industry coding standards and best practices
- Testing: 90% code coverage with automated unit and integration tests
- Static Analysis: Regular static code analysis with quality gates
NF7.2 Deployment and Operations
- DevOps: Automated CI/CD pipeline for deployment and testing
- Configuration: Externalized configuration for different environments
- Logging: Comprehensive application and system logging
- Monitoring: Built-in monitoring and health check endpoints
NF8. COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS
NF8.1 Regulatory Compliance
- SOX Compliance: Support for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance requirements
- ISO 27001: Alignment with ISO 27001 security standards
- Industry Standards: Support for industry-specific compliance frameworks
- Audit Support: Comprehensive audit trail and evidence collection
NF8.2 Data Governance
- Data Lineage: Complete data lineage tracking and documentation
- Data Quality: Automated data quality monitoring and validation
- Master Data: Consistent master data management across integrations
- Retention Policies: Configurable data retention and disposal policies
REQUIREMENTS TRACEABILITY MATRIX
Business Objectives to Requirements Mapping
| Business Objective |
Requirements |
Value Impact |
Priority |
| 35% Process Efficiency Improvement |
F1.1.1, F1.1.2, F2.2.1, NF1.1 |
$450,000 |
Must Have |
| 70% Risk Reduction |
F1.3.1, F1.3.2, F1.3.3, F6.1.1 |
$320,000 |
Must Have |
| 100% Regulatory Compliance |
F3.1.1, F3.1.2, F3.1.3, NF8.1 |
$280,000 |
Must Have |
| 85% Governance Maturity |
F1.2.1, F1.2.2, F2.1.1, F2.1.3 |
$350,000 |
Must Have |
| User Adoption > 80% |
F4.1.1, F4.1.2, F4.2.1, NF5.1 |
$150,000 |
Must Have |
User Stories to Requirements Mapping
| User Story Category |
Primary Requirements |
Secondary Requirements |
Business Value |
| Executive Dashboard |
F2.1.1, F4.1.2, F2.1.3 |
F4.2.1, F2.2.2 |
$200,000 |
| Process Automation |
F1.1.1, F1.1.2, F2.2.1 |
F8.2.1, F1.1.3 |
$450,000 |
| Compliance Management |
F3.1.1, F3.1.2, F3.1.3 |
F3.2.3, F6.1.3 |
$350,000 |
| Risk Management |
F1.3.1, F1.3.2, F1.3.3 |
F2.2.2, F8.2.2 |
$400,000 |
| Integration Capabilities |
F5.1.1, F5.1.2, F5.2.1 |
F5.1.3, NF6.1 |
$235,000 |
Stakeholder Role to Requirements Mapping
| Stakeholder Role |
Critical Requirements |
Supporting Requirements |
Annual Value |
| CEO |
F2.1.1, F4.1.2, F2.1.3, F1.3.1 |
F4.2.1, F2.2.2 |
$200,000 |
| CTO |
F5.1.1, F6.1.1, F7.1.1, NF2.1 |
F8.1.1, F2.2.1 |
$180,000 |
| CIO |
F1.1.2, F2.1.1, F8.2.1, NF1.1 |
F5.1.2, F7.1.2 |
$140,000 |
| Chief Compliance Officer |
F3.1.1, F3.1.2, F1.2.1, F1.2.2 |
F3.2.3, NF8.1 |
$250,000 |
| Risk Manager |
F1.3.1, F1.3.2, F1.3.3, F2.2.2 |
F8.2.2, F6.1.1 |
$220,000 |
ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA FRAMEWORK
Functional Acceptance Criteria
- Feature Completeness: 100% of Must Have requirements implemented and tested
- User Story Coverage: All high-priority user stories demonstrated and accepted
- Integration Success: All specified integrations functioning correctly
- Data Quality: Data accuracy and consistency validated across all modules
- Security Validation: Security requirements tested and vulnerabilities addressed
Non-Functional Acceptance Criteria
- Performance Standards: All performance requirements met under load testing
- Scalability Validation: System scales according to specified requirements
- Availability Achievement: 99.9% uptime demonstrated during testing period
- Security Compliance: Security audit passed with no critical findings
- Usability Standards: User experience testing shows 85%+ satisfaction
Business Acceptance Criteria
- Value Realization: Path to $2.3M annual value clearly demonstrated
- Process Improvement: 35% efficiency improvement validated through testing
- User Adoption Readiness: Training completed and user adoption plan validated
- Stakeholder Satisfaction: 90%+ stakeholder satisfaction with delivered solution
- ROI Validation: Business case ROI model validated with actual implementation
REQUIREMENTS CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Change Control Process
- Change Request Submission: Formal change request with business justification
- Impact Assessment: Technical, schedule, and cost impact analysis
- Stakeholder Review: Review by affected stakeholder groups
- Change Board Approval: Formal approval by project change control board
- Implementation Planning: Updated project plans and schedules
Requirements Versioning
- Version Control: All requirements changes tracked with version control
- Approval History: Complete approval history for all requirement changes
- Impact Documentation: Documentation of change impacts on other requirements
- Traceability Update: Updated traceability matrices for all changes
Priority and Scope Management
- MoSCoW Re-evaluation: Regular re-evaluation of requirement priorities
- Scope Protection: Process to protect Must Have requirements from scope creep
- Value Impact Assessment: Assessment of value impact for all proposed changes
- Stakeholder Consensus: Stakeholder agreement required for significant changes
CONCLUSION
This Requirements Specification provides the comprehensive foundation for developing the ICT Governance Framework Application. With 180+ detailed requirements across 12 functional domains, the specification ensures delivery of a solution that meets all stakeholder needs while achieving the targeted $2.3M annual business value.
Key Success Factors:
- Comprehensive Coverage: Complete requirement coverage across all functional areas
- Stakeholder Alignment: Requirements aligned with detailed stakeholder analysis
- Value Focus: Each requirement mapped to specific business value contribution
- Quality Assurance: Robust acceptance criteria and validation framework
- Change Management: Structured approach to requirements evolution and control
The Requirements Specification ensures successful delivery of an AI-powered governance platform that transforms organizational governance capabilities while delivering measurable business value.
Document Control:
- Approval Required: Project Steering Committee, Technical Architecture Board, Business Stakeholders
- Dependencies: User Stories, Business Case, Technical Architecture, System Design
- Review Cycle: Bi-weekly during development, quarterly post-implementation
- Change Control: Formal change request process for all requirement modifications
This comprehensive Requirements Specification provides the detailed foundation for successful development and deployment of the ICT Governance Framework Application, ensuring all stakeholder needs are met while delivering exceptional business value.