IT Project Requirements Document 2026: Template, Structure, and Technical Solution

IT Project Requirements Document should do more than just describe the idea; it should define requirements, scope boundaries, user scenarios, integrations, data, and acceptance criteria. Budget, development timeline, and the quality of the final result all depend on it.

In this guide, you'll find a practical requirements document structure, a technical solution template for an IT project, and a list of mistakes that cause clients to overpay for development or end up with the wrong product.

Quick Technical Solution Template for an IT Project

• project goal and business objective;
• user roles and key scenarios;
• functional requirements and constraints;
• integrations with CRM, ERP, payment systems, analytics, and external APIs;
• data structure and security requirements;
• acceptance criteria, launch stages, and risk list.

If the project is complex, a requirements document alone is not enough: you also need a technical solution document that describes the architecture, tech stack, API, data model, queues, access rights, and scaling plan.

Introduction

A technical requirements document is the foundation of any successful IT project. It is the document that describes exactly what needs to be built, how it should work, and what results are expected. A strong requirements document saves money, time, and stress, while a poor or missing one leads to endless revisions, disputes with the development team, and project failure.

According to research, about 70% of IT projects go over budget or miss deadlines specifically because of a poorly written or missing requirements document. For a business owner, that means direct financial losses and missed market opportunities.

Why You Need a Requirements Document

Main Functions of a Requirements Document

Protects the client's interests. A requirements document is a legal document that records the agreements between you and the developer. If you end up with something other than what you wanted, a well-written requirements document can help prove your case.

Accurate cost and timeline estimates. Without a requirements document, any developer estimate will be rough. With a detailed requirements document, you'll get a realistic budget and project schedule.

Minimizes revisions. The more precisely you describe what needs to be done, the fewer revision cycles will be required. Every change costs time and money.

A basis for testing. The requirements document defines the acceptance criteria for the work. Without them, it is impossible to objectively assess whether the work has been completed to a high standard.

Communication between specialists. If a team is working on the project, the requirements document creates a shared understanding of the tasks for everyone involved.

Requirements Document Structure

1. General Project Information

Start with context. Describe your company, what it does, and where the future product fits into your business processes.

What to include:

Project name and a brief description in 2-3 sentences. For example: "A mobile app for ordering grocery delivery from local farms. The app connects customers directly with farmers, cutting out intermediaries."

Client company information. Specify the industry, business size, and how the company operates. This will help developers understand the context and propose the best solution.

Contacts and their roles. Specify who makes project decisions, who is responsible for the technical side, and who will provide feedback. This prevents a situation where different people give conflicting instructions.

2. Business Goals and Objectives

This is a critically important section that many people leave out. Developers need to understand not just what to build, but why.

Describe the business goals:

What problem does the product solve? For example: "Our customers spend too much time placing orders by phone, which leads to losing 30% of potential buyers."

Which business metrics should improve? Specific metrics: increase conversion by 25%, reduce order processing time from 10 to 2 minutes, cut call center load by 50%.

Who is the target audience? Describe your users in detail: age, technical skill level, devices they use, and product usage scenarios.

What business constraints are there? For example, a budget of no more than 500,000 rubles, launch before the season starts, and mandatory integration with the existing accounting system.

3. Target Audience and User Description

The more detailed your user description, the better the product will be.

Create user personas:

For each user type, describe a persona. For example:

"Maria, 35, middle manager. Uses an iPhone 12 smartphone. Values simplicity and speed. Places orders during lunch break or in the evening. Not very tech-savvy, needs an intuitive interface. Her main motivation is saving time and getting quality products."

"Vladimir, 52, farmer. Uses an Android smartphone. Not very confident using apps. Needs a simple interface with large buttons. His main task is to receive orders and confirm product availability. Works outdoors, often in poor network conditions."

For each persona, describe the main product usage scenarios, pain points, and expectations from the product.

4. Functional Requirements

This is the heart of the requirements document. Here you describe in detail exactly what your product must be able to do.

Principles for describing functionality:

Use the wording "The system must...". For example: "The system must allow a user to register using email or phone number."

Describe each function step by step. Do not write "The user places an order." Instead, break down the process: "The user adds items to the cart, enters the delivery address, selects a delivery time, chooses a payment method, confirms the order, and receives an order acceptance notification."

Specify function priorities. Use categories: critical (must have), important (should have), and desirable (nice to have). This will help if the budget or timeline needs to be reduced.

Example of a detailed function description:

Function: User Registration

Priority: Critical

Description: The system must allow new users to create an account.

Scenario:

1. The user clicks the "Sign Up" button on the home screen
2. The system displays a registration form with fields: name, email, phone, password, confirm password
3. The user fills out the fields and clicks "Create Account"
4. The system validates the data (email format, password length of at least 8 characters, passwords match)
5. If the data is invalid, the system displays an error message under the relevant field
6. If the data is valid, the system sends a verification code to the specified email/phone
7. The user enters the verification code
8. The system creates the account and automatically logs in the user
9. The system redirects the user to the app home screen

Alternative scenarios:

• If the email is already registered, the system displays the message "This email is already in use" and offers password recovery
• If the verification code does not arrive, the user can request a resend after 60 seconds
• The user can register through social networks (Google, Apple ID)

Business rules:

• One email can be linked to only one account
• Minimum password length is 8 characters
• The verification code is valid for 15 minutes
• After 3 failed code entry attempts, you can request a new code only after 5 minutes

5. Non-Functional Requirements

These requirements define the system’s quality characteristics.

Performance:

Maximum page load time is 3 seconds. The system must support 1,000 concurrent users without performance degradation. API response time must be no more than 500 milliseconds.

Reliability:

System uptime must be 99.5% (acceptable downtime of no more than 3.6 hours per month). The system must automatically back up data every 24 hours. In the event of a failure, the system must recover automatically within 15 minutes.

Security:

All passwords must be stored in encrypted form. Data must be transmitted over the secure HTTPS protocol. The system must lock an account after 5 failed login attempts. Users’ personal data must be stored in accordance with the personal data protection law (152-FZ). Payment data must not be stored in the system; payment processing must be handled through a PCI DSS-certified service.

Scalability:

The system must allow the number of users to grow to 10,000 without changing the architecture. Horizontal scaling of the server side must be possible.

Compatibility:

The web version must work correctly in Chrome (latest 2 versions), Safari (latest 2 versions), and Firefox (latest 2 versions). The mobile version must support iOS 14+ and Android 9+. Responsive design is required for screens from 320px to 2560px wide.

Usability:

A new user must be able to register and place their first order without training in 5 minutes. All core functions must be accessible in no more than 3 clicks. The interface must comply with accessibility principles (WCAG 2.1 AA level).

6. Design and User Interface

General Design Requirements:

Specify whether your company has a brand identity system (brand book, style guide). Attach logos, color palette, and fonts. Describe the desired style: minimalist, corporate, bright and playful. Show examples of interfaces you like, with an explanation of why.

Layout Requirements:

Specify whether prototypes are needed before development (recommended). Define which devices need separate mockups (desktop, tablet, mobile). Specify the states that need to be designed (empty screens, screens with data, loading states, errors).

Important Elements:

Logo and its placement. Navigation and menu structure. Data entry forms and their validation. Buttons and their states (default, hover, pressed, disabled). Notifications and error messages. Modal windows and pop-ups.

7. Integrations with External Systems

If your product needs to interact with other systems, describe this in detail.

For each integration, specify:

Which system it integrates with (name, version, vendor). The purpose of the integration (what data is transferred and how often). Available integration methods (API, file exchange, webhooks). Data format (JSON, XML, CSV). Whether API documentation and test access are available. Synchronization requirements (real time, hourly, daily). How to handle integration errors.

Typical integrations:

Payment systems (Sberbank, YuKassa, Stripe). CRM systems (Bitrix24, amoCRM, Salesforce). Analytics systems (Google Analytics, Yandex.Metrica). Email services (SendGrid, Mailchimp). SMS gateways (SMSC, Twilio). Accounting systems (1C, SAP). Social networks (authentication, sharing). Mapping services (Google Maps, Yandex Maps).

8. Technical Architecture

Even if you are not a technical specialist, some technical decisions should be documented.

Specify, if known:

Preferred development technologies (if there are technical specialists on the team or future in-house maintenance is planned). Hosting requirements (on-premises servers, cloud services, specific provider). Database (if there are preferences or constraints). Backup and recovery requirements. Logging and monitoring requirements.

If you have an existing infrastructure:

Description of the current technical infrastructure. Compatibility requirements with existing systems. Corporate network security restrictions. Access and authentication policies.

9. Development Phases and Acceptance Criteria

Break the project into logical phases (milestones).

Typical phases:

Phase 1: Design (2 weeks)

• Creating prototypes of the main screens
• Reviewing prototypes with the client
• Creating design mockups
• Design approval Acceptance criteria: approved prototypes and design mockups for all screens

Phase 2: MVP Development (6 weeks)

• Implementing critical functionality
• Basic admin dashboard
• Payment system integration Acceptance criteria: a working version with critical features, successful testing of the main scenarios

Phase 3: Refinement and Testing (3 weeks)

• Implementing additional functionality
• Fixing identified bugs
• Load testing Acceptance criteria: all functions work according to the technical specification, all tests passed

Phase 4: Launch and Support (2 weeks)

• Deployment to the production server
• Training administrators
• Monitoring the first users Acceptance criteria: the system operates stably, training completed

For each phase, define:

Start and end dates. List of specific deliverables. Acceptance criteria (how you will know the phase has been completed successfully). Responsible parties. Acceptance procedure (who tests and how, how much time is allocated for acceptance, how feedback is documented).

10. Roles and Responsibilities

Clearly define who is responsible for what in the project.

From the client side:

Product owner (makes key decisions, prioritizes features). Technical contact (answers technical questions, provides access). Content manager (provides copy, images, data). Tester (checks the work at each stage).

From the contractor side:

Project manager (coordinates the team’s work, communicates with the client). Analyst (clarifies requirements, documents functionality). Designer (creates mockups and prototypes). Developers (write the code). Tester (verifies quality). DevOps engineer (configures servers and deployment).

11. Communication and Reporting

Define the communication process.

Regular meetings:

Weekly project status calls (day, time, participants, format). Work demos (every 2 weeks, showing functioning parts). Sprint planning (if using an Agile approach).

Communication tools:

Primary channel (email, messenger, corporate portal). Task management system (Jira, Trello, Asana). Document storage (Google Drive, Confluence). For urgent issues (phone, Telegram).

Reporting:

Weekly progress reports (what has been done, what is planned, issues). Time tracking (if billing is hourly). Notifications of schedule or budget changes.

12. Budget and Payment Terms

Document the financial arrangements.

Specify:

Total project budget or budget per phase. Currency and payment terms. Payment schedule (for example: 30% upfront, 40% after MVP acceptance, 30% after final launch). What is included in the price (development, design, testing, deployment). What is not included in the price (additional features, changes after approval, content, user training). Budget change procedure (when adding new functionality or changing requirements). Penalties for missed deadlines (if applicable).

13. Intellectual Property and Confidentiality

Legal aspects of the project.

Ownership of Work Product:

Who owns the exclusive rights to the software. Who owns the rights to the design. Whether the contractor may use the project in their portfolio. Whether the contractor may reuse the work in other projects.

Confidentiality:

NDA (non-disclosure agreement) — whether it is required and when it is signed. What information is considered confidential. Obligations to protect user data. Liability for information leaks.

14. Warranty and Support

What happens after the project goes live.

Warranty Period:

Warranty duration (typically 1–3 months). What is covered by the warranty (fixing bugs that existed at the time of project delivery). What is not covered by the warranty (new features, requirement changes, errors caused by the client). Response time for critical issues.

Post-Warranty Support:

Terms for ongoing support (hourly billing, retainer, hour packages). What support includes (bug fixes, consultations, minor enhancements). Response time for requests. Terms for product growth (new features, scaling).

15. Documentation

What documentation must be handed over when the project is completed.

Technical Documentation:

System architecture description. API documentation (if any). Database schema. Deployment instructions. Server setup instructions. Code documentation (comments, module descriptions).

User Documentation:

Administrator guide. User guide. FAQ (frequently asked questions). Video tutorials (if provided).

16. Risks and Limitations

Describe the known project risks and limitations.

Technical Risks:

Difficulty integrating with external systems. Limitations of third-party services. Performance risks under heavy load.

Organizational Risks:

Dependence on the client providing data/content. Dependence on approvals from third parties. Risks of changing requirements during development.

Risk Mitigation:

How each risk will be minimized. Alternative action plans. Who is responsible for monitoring risks.

What SHOULD NOT be included in the technical specification

Common Mistakes

Vague wording:

Wrong: "The system should work fast" Right: "Page load time must not exceed 3 seconds"

Wrong: "The design should be modern and beautiful" Right: "Minimalist design, color scheme: white background, accent color #3498db, Inter font, references: Airbnb, Stripe"

Technical jargon without explanation:

If you are not a technical specialist, do not use terms whose meaning you do not understand. If a term is necessary, explain it or ask the developer to include a glossary.

Contradictory requirements:

Make sure the requirements do not contradict each other. For example, you cannot require both "the lowest possible development cost" and "rich functionality with many integrations in 2 weeks."

Describing solutions instead of tasks:

Wrong: "Set up registration via OAuth 2.0 using JWT tokens" Right: "The user should be able to register through social networks (Google, Facebook). Propose the optimal technical solution"

Describe what needs to be done, not how. Give developers the freedom to choose technical solutions unless there is a strong reason to insist on a specific technology.

Overly detailed minutiae:

There is no need to describe the color of every button and the size of every font in the specification. That is what design mockups are for. In the specification, list functional requirements and general design principles.

"Future" features:

Do not include functionality in the specification that "might come in handy someday." That inflates the budget and timeline. It is better to focus on the MVP (minimum viable product) and add features as real needs arise.

Lack of priorities:

If all requirements in the specification seem equally important, conflicts will arise when time or budget runs short. Always set priorities.

Unrealistic expectations:

Do not demand an "app like Uber" for $100,000 and one month of work. Uber was developed by hundreds of specialists over several years. Be realistic about the relationship between functionality, budget, and timelines.

The Technical Specification Creation Process

Preparation

Step 1: Research and Analysis

Study the market and competitors. Look at what solutions already exist, what works well, and what does not. Survey potential users. Learn about their pain points, expectations, and habits. Analyze your business processes. Understand how the product will fit into your existing workflow.

Step 2: Defining Scope

Make a list of all desired features. Rank them by importance. Define the MVP — the minimum set of features needed for launch. Estimate the approximate budget and timeline.

Step 3: Choosing a Contractor

Look for a contractor before creating the detailed specification, or do it in parallel. A good contractor will help you prepare the specification. Discuss the project with several vendors. They may suggest solutions you have not considered.

Creating the Specification

Step 4: Writing the Draft

Use the structure described above. Write in simple language. Add visual materials (diagrams, screenshots, examples). Do not try to write the perfect specification all at once.

Step 5: Discussing with the Contractor

Hold a meeting with the developers. Explain the business goals and objectives. Get feedback on the specification. Developers will point out inaccuracies, contradictions, and technical challenges. Discuss alternative solutions. There may be a simpler or less expensive way to achieve the goal.

Step 6: Refinement and Approval

Make revisions based on the discussion. Add clarifications and details. Approve the final version with all stakeholders (your team, developers, investors). Sign the specification as an appendix to the contract.

After the Specification Is Signed

Change Management:

Any changes to the specification after work has started must be documented officially. Create a Change Request procedure. Each change should be evaluated for its impact on timeline and budget. Critical changes require re-approval of the entire project plan.

Regular Review:

For long projects (more than 3–6 months), conduct periodic reviews of the specification. Markets change, new legal requirements may appear, and competitors may release new features.

Tools for Working with the Specification (continued)

Documentation

Confluence / Notion — wiki systems for structured documentation storage. They let you create linked pages, embed media, and organize document hierarchies. They are convenient for large projects with many sections.

Miro / Figma — for creating visual diagrams, user flows, and process maps. They help clearly show how the system works and illustrate user scenarios.

Prototyping

Figma / Sketch / Adobe XD — for creating interactive interface prototypes. They let you show how the product will work before development begins.

Balsamiq / Axure — for quick low-fidelity prototypes (wireframes). Useful at the stage of aligning on structure and logic.

InVision / Marvel — for creating clickable prototypes from static mockups.

Project Management

Jira / YouTrack — task management systems for development. They make it possible to break down the requirements into tasks, track progress, and log bugs.

Trello / Asana — simpler task management tools. Well suited for small projects.

GitHub / GitLab — for technical projects where version control for code and documentation matters.

Communication

Slack / Microsoft Teams — for day-to-day team communication. They let you create topic-based channels and integrate with other tools.

Zoom / Google Meet — for video meetings and presentations.

Loom — for recording video explanations and screen demos. Useful for asynchronous communication.

Requirements Document Features for Different Project Types

Mobile App

Additional sections:

• Platforms: iOS, Android, or a cross-platform solution (React Native, Flutter)
• OS versions: minimum supported iOS and Android versions
• Permissions: which permissions are required (camera, location, notifications, contacts)
• Offline mode: what should work without the internet, how data should sync
• Push notifications: notification types, when they are sent, how users can configure them
• Publishing: App Store and Google Play requirements, certificates, moderation process
• Updates: app update strategy, mandatory and optional updates

Web Application

Additional sections:

• SEO requirements: meta tags, sitemap, page speed, mobile optimization
• Analytics: which events to track, which metrics matter
• Multilingual support: which languages to support, where translations are stored, RTL languages
• Admin panel: functionality for managing content, users, and settings
• Email notifications: which emails are sent, templates, triggers

E-commerce project

Additional sections:

• Product catalog: category structure, product attributes, filters, sorting
• Cart and checkout: checkout flow, shipping methods, cost calculation
• Payments: payment methods, currencies, refund processing
• User account: order history, favorites, wish lists
• Promo codes and promotions: discount types, application rules, restrictions
• Inventory management: stock tracking, product reservations, back-in-stock notifications
• ERP/CRM integration: sync orders, customers, and products
• Reviews and ratings: moderation, seller replies, customer photos

CRM system

Additional sections:

• System entities: customers, deals, tasks, documents, and the relationships between them
• Sales funnel: stages, movement rules, automation
• Roles and access rights: who can view and edit what
• Reports and analytics: which reports are needed, filters, data export
• Automation: triggers, automated tasks, notifications
• Telephony Integration: call recording, communication history
• Email Marketing: email campaigns, segmentation, templates

Requirements Readiness Checklist

Before handing off the requirements document to the contractor, check:

Completeness

• All core product features are described
• All integrations with external systems are listed
• User roles and permissions are defined
• All business processes and use cases are described
• Non-functional requirements are specified (performance, security)
• Visual materials are attached (diagrams, examples, references)

Clarity

• Specific wording is used instead of general statements
• There are no ambiguous or conflicting requirements
• Technical terms are explained, or there is a glossary
• Each requirement can be verified (there is a completion criterion)

Priorities

• Features are divided into critical, important, and nice-to-have
• An MVP is defined — the minimum set needed for launch
• There is a plan for when budget or time is limited

Organization

• Development stages and timelines are defined
• Acceptance criteria are specified for each stage
• Responsible contacts are assigned on both sides
• A communication protocol is defined
• The budget and payment terms are agreed

Legal Considerations

• Rights to the work product are defined
• An NDA is signed, if required
• Warranty and support terms are specified
• The process for changing the requirements document is described

Common Problems and Solutions

Problem: "The requirements document is too long; no one will read it"

Solution:

• Create an executive summary — a concise 1-2 page overview
• Use a structure with clear headings
• Add a table of contents with hyperlinks
• Visualize complex points with diagrams and charts
• Break the document into modules that can be read independently

Problem: "We don’t know every detail in advance; the project will change"

Solution:

• Use an agile methodology (Agile, Scrum)
• Create requirements for the MVP; everything else goes into the backlog
• Set up a change process with impact assessment
• Plan iteratively — in 2-4 week sprints
• Include a time and budget reserve for changes in the contract (10-20%)

Problem: "The developer says this can’t be implemented"

Solution:

• Ask for the reasons: technical limitations, cost, deadlines?
• Ask them to propose an alternative solution
• If the issue is cost, revisit priorities
• Get a second opinion from another specialist
• The requirement may be framed incorrectly — clarify the goal, not the method

Problem: "The requirements keep changing, and the project will never end"

Solution:

• Freeze changes during the current stage of development
• Put all new ideas into the backlog for future versions
• Evaluate each change for its impact on timelines and budget
• Set deadlines for approving changes
• Use a "scope freeze" rule N weeks before the deadline

Problem: "The client and the developer interpret the requirements differently"

Solution:

• Use prototypes and mockups to visualize the product
• Hold regular demos of completed work
• Implement "acceptance criteria" — clear criteria for each feature
• Record important discussions and decisions
• Use examples and use cases

Development Cost and Requirements Documents

How the requirements document affects cost

With a detailed requirements document:

• Accurate cost estimate (±10-15%)
• Fewer changes during development
• Fewer refinement iterations
• Transparent budget usage
• Bottom line: costs may be higher at the estimation stage, but total expenses are lower

Without a technical specification or with a vague one:

• Approximate estimate (±50-100%)
• Many changes and revisions
• Disputes over payment for additional work
• Risk of going over budget by 2-3x
• Bottom line: it may seem cheaper upfront, but the real costs are significantly higher

Who should prepare the technical specification

Options:

1. The client independently — if they have experience and technical expertise

• Pros: deep understanding of the business, control over the process
• Cons: risk of missing technical details, more time required

1. Business analyst on the client side — for large companies

• Pros: professional quality, protection of the client's interests
• Cons: additional cost for an analyst

1. Jointly with the vendor — the most common option

• Pros: a balance of business expertise and technical knowledge
• Cons: responsibilities must be clearly divided, paid separately

1. The vendor fully — if the client doesn't know what they want

• Pros: fast, professional
• Cons: high risk of mismatch with expectations, conflict of interest

Recommendation: The best option is collaborative work, where the client describes the business requirements and the vendor adds the technical details.

Alternatives to a traditional technical specification

User Stories

An Agile format. Instead of a detailed technical specification, you use a set of stories:

"As a [role], I want [action] so that [goal]"

Example:

• As a customer, I want to add a product to my cart with one click so I can quickly place an order
• As an administrator, I want to see sales statistics for a period so I can analyze performance

Pros: flexibility, focus on user value Cons: requires close team collaboration, hard to estimate the full scope

Job Stories

An alternative to User Stories with a focus on context:

"When [situation], I want [motivation] so that [desired outcome]"

Example:

• When I'm riding the subway to work, I want to quickly skim the news so I can stay up to date in 5 minutes

Lean Canvas + Roadmap

For startups — a one-page business plan plus a product roadmap instead of a detailed technical specification. Development moves forward in iterations with constant hypothesis validation.

When you can do without a technical specification

• Very small projects (a 1-2 page landing page)
• Template-based solutions (for example, a business card website built from a template)
• Projects with fixed functionality (for example, integrating a ready-made plugin)

But even in these cases, a minimum description of requirements is necessary.

Conclusion

A technical specification is not bureaucracy and not a formality. It's a tool that:

• Saves money — prevents costly rework
• Saves time — reduces the number of revisions and misunderstandings
• Reduces risks — documents agreements and protects interests
• Improves quality — sets clear criteria for the result

The main principle: it's better to spend more time planning than to run into problems during development.

Three levels of technical specification maturity

Basic level (minimum required):

• Functionality description
• Key user scenarios
• Acceptance criteria
• Budget and timeline

Advanced level (for serious projects):

• Detailed requirements
• Prototypes and wireframes
• Integrations and non-functional requirements
• Stages and procedures

Professional Level (for large-scale systems):

• Complete documentation of all aspects
• Technical Architecture
• Risks and Mitigation Strategies
• Policies and Standards

Start with the basic level and expand as needed. The key is not the number of pages, but the clarity, completeness, and relevance of the information.

Final Tip

Remember: the technical specification is a living document. It should evolve with the project. Don't be afraid to make changes, but do so thoughtfully, with an assessment of the impact.

Master Checklist for reviewing an IT project technical specification.

Block 1. Business Context and General Provisions

These items protect you from building a product that works but nobody needs.

• [ ] Glossary: Are all specialized terms defined? (What exactly do “lead,” “deal,” and “aggregator” mean in your system?).
• [ ] Target Audience (Persona): Is it clearly described who uses the system? (Age, technical proficiency, devices).
• [ ] Monetization: Is it technically specified at what point you collect payment? (Subscription, one-time purchase, transaction fee, freemium).
• [ ] Geography and Time: Which time zones is the project designed for? (Do you need to store time in UTC and convert it for the user?).
• [ ] Languages (Localization): Is multilingual support needed? How are translations stored? (In code or in the admin panel).
• [ ] Platform List: Web (Desktop/Mobile), iOS (versions), Android (versions).
• [ ] Browser Support: Do we support older browsers (Safari 10, older Chrome versions)? Is Internet Explorer support required (usually no, but it’s better to specify).

Block 2. Users and Access Rights (RBAC)

This is where the project’s internal workings are most often overlooked.

• [ ] Role Matrix: Complete list (Guest, User, Premium User, Manager, Admin, Super Admin).
• [ ] Registration:
• [ ] By email/phone/social media (which ones?).
• [ ] Is confirmation required (email link, SMS code)?
• [ ] Is there a CAPTCHA (bot protection)?
• [ ] Authorization:
• [ ] How long does the session last? (Logs out after 15 minutes, or "remember me" forever?).
• [ ] What happens when someone signs in from a new device?
• [ ] Access Recovery: Scenario: “Forgot password.” Scenario: “Lost access to phone.”
• [ ] Account Deletion: Can the user delete their account themselves? (App Store requirement). Is the data erased or just hidden (soft delete)?

Block 3. Interface (UX/UI) and States

Design is not just about when everything works, but also when everything breaks.

• [ ] Happy Path: The ideal workflow is described.
• [ ] Loading States (Loaders): What does the user see while data is loading? (Spinner, skeleton, progress bar).
• [ ] Empty States: What does the cart look like if it’s empty? What does search look like if nothing is found?
• [ ] Validation Errors: How are fields highlighted when there’s an error? Is the error text written out?
• [ ] 404 and 500: Is there a design for the “Page Not Found” and “Server Error” pages?
• [ ] Notifications (Toasts/Popups): How does the system communicate success ("Saved") or an error?
• [ ] Animations: Are screen transitions and button micro-animations described?

Block 4. Data Handling and Functionality (Detail)

The largest section. Let’s check the logic.

• [ ] Search:
• [ ] Which fields do we search by?
• [ ] Do we need live search (suggestions as you type)?
• [ ] Do we account for typos (fuzzy search)?
• [ ] Is search history saved?
• [ ] Filtering and Sorting:
• [ ] What filter parameters are needed? (Price ranges, checkboxes).
• [ ] Are filters reset when the page is refreshed?
• [ ] Input Forms:
• [ ] Character limits (max name length, phone number format).
• [ ] Can users enter emojis?
• [ ] Address autocomplete (Maps integration / Dadata)?
• [ ] File Handling:
• [ ] Which formats are allowed (JPG, PNG, PDF)?
• [ ] Maximum file size (so the server doesn't get overloaded).
• [ ] Can multiple files be uploaded at once?
• [ ] Is photo cropping needed before upload (e.g., for avatars)?

Section 5. Admin Panel (Back Office)

Without this section, you won't be able to run the business.

• [ ] Dashboard: [ ] Can the admin see summary stats (new users per day, revenue)?
• [ ] Content Management (CMS):
• [ ] Edit landing page copy.
• [ ] Upload banners.
• [ ] Moderate reviews/comments.
• [ ] User Management:
• [ ] View user profile.
• [ ] Manual blocking (ban) with a reason.
• [ ] View the user's activity history (logs).
• [ ] Data Export: [ ] Is there a "Download to Excel/CSV" button (orders, users)?

Section 6. Integrations and API

How your system communicates with the outside world.

• [ ] Payment Gateway:
• [ ] Successful payment flow.
• [ ] Failed payment flow (insufficient funds).
• [ ] Recurring payments (automatic charges).
• [ ] Refunds (automatic or manual through the admin panel?).
• [ ] Email/SMS Services: [ ] Who sends the emails (SendGrid, Unisender)? Are the email templates already designed?
• [ ] Maps/Geo: [ ] Google Maps, Yandex, OpenStreet? (Has API pricing been accounted for?).
• [ ] Error Handling: [ ] What does the system do if an external service (for example, a bank) doesn't respond? (Retry the request or return an error?).

Section 7. Technical and Non-Functional Requirements

The foundation of the house.

• [ ] Load:
• [ ] Expected number of users (DAU/MAU).
• [ ] Peak traffic loads (for example, on Black Friday).
• [ ] Speed: [ ] Requirements for Time to Interactive (the time until a button can be clicked).
• [ ] SEO Setup (for Web):
• [ ] Server-Side Rendering (SSR) — required for search engine indexing (especially if using React/Vue).
• [ ] Ability to change meta tags (Title, Description) from the admin panel.
• [ ] Generate Sitemap.xml and Robots.txt.
• [ ] Security:
• [ ] Password storage (hashes only!).
• [ ] Protection against SQL injection and XSS.
• [ ] SSL certificates (HTTPS).
• [ ] Backups: [ ] How often? Where? How quickly can it be restored?

Section 8. Mobile App (if any)

App Store Requirements.

• [ ] Offline Mode: What works without an internet connection? (Do we show cached content or a fallback screen?).
• [ ] Push Notifications: Deep Links — when a push notification is tapped, does it open a specific product or the home page?
• [ ] Updates: Do we need a forced update mechanism if a critical version is released?
• [ ] Store Requirements: "Sign in with Apple" (required for iOS), account deletion, privacy policy.

Section 9. Legal Questions and Acceptance

Code Ownership Protection.

• [ ] Transfer of Rights: Is it stated that the exclusive rights to the code, design, and database are transferred to the client?
• [ ] Repository: The code must be uploaded to your Git repository.
• [ ] Technical Documentation: Is the contractor required to document the architecture and API (Swagger)?
• [ ] Warranty Period: Bug fixes are provided free of charge for X months after launch.
• [ ] Deployment: Who sets up the production server and publishes the app to the app stores?