In this episode of Building Better Developers, hosts Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche revisit one of the most essential pillars of software development — requirements gathering. As part of the Building Better Foundations season, this discussion dives deep into why strong requirements are not just documentation — they’re the blueprint of success for every software project.
From Classroom Rules to Real-World Clarity
Rob opens the discussion by highlighting a gap many developers face: they’re trained to solve problems, but not to define them. In classrooms and coding bootcamps, students are handed requirements. But in the real world, success depends on a developer’s ability to uncover and validate them.
Early-career developers often transition from following fixed assignments to navigating vague project goals. Rob emphasizes that the most important skill they can develop is asking smart, clarifying questions — turning fuzzy instructions into actionable tasks.
For example, if a task says, “Add two numbers,” the experienced developer asks:
- Are they always integers?
- Can they be decimals or negatives?
- Should the result be formatted or displayed?
“Strong requirements start with strong questions. Don’t just do the task — define it.” – Rob Broadhead
The Recipe Analogy: How Cooking Teaches Strong Requirements
Michael brings the discussion home with a relatable metaphor — cooking. Every recipe is a set of instructions, ingredients, and steps. If you change them — like adding raisins to chocolate chip cookies — you get the wrong result.
The same goes for software. Weak requirements lead to unpredictable results. Strong requirements lead to consistent, repeatable success. Each requirement should be clear, testable, and unambiguous — something that can be verified as true or false.
Ambiguous statements like “allow users to enter data” need refinement: What kind of data? Is it numeric, text, or secure input? Without that clarity, developers risk misunderstanding the goal.
The “And Then What?” Approach to Strong Requirements
Rob introduces his favorite tool for strengthening requirements: the “And then what?” method. After each answer, ask what happens next.
- “The user logs in.” → And then what?
- “They see a dashboard.” → And then what happens if it fails?
Each “and then” uncovers gaps, edge cases, and overlooked scenarios.
Great developers think like curious toddlers — always asking “why” and “what next” until every path is clear.
Speaking the Same Language
Another foundation of strong requirements is communication. Many clients express what they want, but not what they need. Developers must bridge that gap, asking why to understand the purpose behind each request.
Michael reminds us that non-technical stakeholders often assume things are apparent — but what’s evident to them might be missing from the documentation. Practical requirements gathering bridges those blind spots before development begins.
Building for the Future with Strong Requirements
Finally, both hosts stress scalability. Systems designed without future growth in mind will quickly collapse under success. Strong requirements anticipate change — considering performance, user volume, and integrations from day one.
“If your system can’t scale, your foundation wasn’t strong enough.” – Michael Meloche
Key Takeaway
Strong requirements aren’t just a step in the process — they are the process. They transform ideas into actionable blueprints, prevent scope creep, and ensure teams deliver software that lasts.
To build better software, start by building better foundations — with strong requirements.
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