Feasibility Analysis & Requirement Engineering
Complete Notes · TELOS Framework · SRS · 40 Interactive MCQs · GATE · NIELIT · ISRO · Rajasthan Computer Teacher 2026
What is Feasibility Analysis?
Feasibility Analysis is the process of evaluating whether a proposed software project is practical, technically possible, economically beneficial, legally compliant, operationally acceptable, and achievable within the given schedule. It is performed before software development begins to avoid investing time and money in projects that are unlikely to succeed.
Objectives of Feasibility Analysis
- Determine whether the project is worth developing.
- Estimate project cost and expected benefits.
- Identify technical and business risks.
- Support management decision-making.
- Reduce project failure.
- Ensure efficient utilization of resources.
The TELOS Framework
The most frequently asked concept in competitive exams — TELOS
Types of Feasibility in Detail
| Type | Question Asked | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Technical (T) | Can we build it? | Required hardware, software, technology, skilled developers |
| Economic (E) | Can we afford it? | Cost–Benefit Analysis, ROI, Payback Period, NPV |
| Legal (L) | Is it legal? | Copyright, Licensing, Data Privacy, GDPR, DPDP |
| Operational (O) | Will users accept it? | Employee and customer acceptance, training overhead |
| Schedule (S) | Can we deliver on time? | Project deadlines, resource constraints, market windows |
Economic Evaluation Metrics
1. Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA)
- Tangible Costs: Quantifiable outlays (hardware, salaries)
- Intangible Costs: Difficult to measure (employee morale)
- Tangible Benefits: Direct financial gains (reduced processing time)
- Intangible Benefits: Non-monetary enhancements (brand value, user experience)
2. Return on Investment (ROI)
📐 Formula: ROI = (Total Net Benefits - Total Costs) / Total Costs × 100
3. Payback Period
📐 Formula: Payback Period = Initial Capital Investment / Annual Net Cash Inflow
📌 Strategy: Choose the project with the shorter payback period.
4. Net Present Value (NPV)
📐 Formula: NPV = Σ (Cash Flowt / (1 + r)t) - Initial Investment
📌 Rule: A project is viable only if NPV > 0. Choose the project with the highest positive NPV.
Requirement Engineering Process
- Requirement Elicitation (Gathering): Active discovery of needs via collaborative and distributed techniques.
- Requirement Analysis: Detecting structural anomalies, conflicts, and prioritizing features using frameworks like MoSCoW.
- Requirement Specification: Documenting analyzed requirements into a formal SRS document (IEEE 830 / ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148 compliant).
- Requirement Validation: Reviewing documentation with stakeholders to ensure accuracy, completeness, and clarity.
- Requirement Management: Controlling changes over time using Version Control Systems and Traceability Matrices.
Requirement Elicitation Techniques
| Technique | Primary Use Case | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interviews | In-depth exploration of individual workflows | High qualitative depth, surfaces hidden nuances | Time-consuming, does not scale |
| Questionnaires | Gathering feedback from large user bases | Highly scalable, easy to aggregate | Lacks context, low response rates |
| Observation (Ethnography) | Uncovering unstated operational steps | High objective accuracy | Time-intensive, Hawthorne Effect |
| Brainstorming | Early-stage conceptualization | High volume of creative concepts | Can be dominated by vocal individuals |
| JAD (Joint Application Design) | Accelerating consensus between stakeholders | Drastically compresses timelines | Expensive to organize, requires skilled facilitators |
| Prototyping | Unclear, evolving requirements | Visualizes final state, early feedback | Can lead to scope creep |
Functional vs Non-Functional Requirements
Functional Requirements
"What the system does"
- User Registration
- Login / Logout
- Payment Gateway
- Search Feature
- Report Generation
- Database CRUD Operations
Non-Functional Requirements
"How the system performs"
- Security (AES-256 / TLS)
- Performance (10k req/sec)
- Availability (99.99% uptime)
- Scalability
- Maintainability
- Portability (Docker/Linux)
Software Requirement Specification (SRS)
The Software Requirement Specification (SRS) is a formal document prepared after Requirement Analysis. It serves as a contract between the customer and the software development team.
Characteristics of a Good SRS
Verification vs Validation
Verification
"Are we building the product right?"
- Static Analysis
- Code Reviews
- Inspections & Walkthroughs
- Focuses on specifications
Validation
"Are we building the right product?"
- Dynamic Testing
- Black-box / White-box Testing
- User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
- Focuses on customer expectations
Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM)
The RTM is a tracking grid that maps functional requirements to design documents, source code blocks, and execution test cases.
📌 Forward Traceability: Requirement → Design → Code → Test Case
📌 Backward Traceability: Test Case → Code → Design → Requirement
✅ Why it matters: Prevents feature omission, streamlines impact analysis, and ensures no redundant code ("gold plating").
The Cost of Requirement Errors
💡 Key Insight: Fixing a requirement error during the maintenance phase can cost up to 100 times more than fixing it during the initial elicitation phase.
Quick Memory Tricks
High-Yield Revision Checklist
Ultimate TELOS Summary
- T — Technical: Can we build it? (Hardware, tech stack, skills)
- E — Economic: Should we build it? (Cost-benefit, ROI, NPV)
- L — Legal: Are we allowed to build it? (Licenses, compliance, GDPR)
- O — Operational: Will they use it? (User acceptance, training)
- S — Schedule: Can we deliver on time? (Deadlines, resource constraints)
Requirement Engineering Process
Elicitation → Analysis → Specification (SRS) → Validation → Management
🧠 Memory Trick: "E A S V M — Every Analyst Should Verify Models"
परिणाम
बहुत अच्छा!
ऊपर 'पुनः प्रयास' बटन से दोबारा प्रयास करें
Conclusion
Feasibility Analysis and Requirement Engineering are the foundation of every successful software project. They are also among the most frequently tested topics in GATE CSE, Rajasthan Computer Teacher, NIELIT, ISRO, NIC, DRDO, KVS, NVS, and UGC NET.
Master the TELOS framework, Requirement Engineering process, SRS, Requirement Gathering techniques, and Verification vs Validation. Practice previous-year questions regularly, revise the quick notes, and solve chapter-wise MCQs to strengthen your preparation for competitive computer science examinations.