An IT project requires a well-founded strategy, as would any other brick and mortar project. A quick search for Why IT Projects Fail reveals that the top reason for project failure is poor planning. It can be difficult to plan IT projects because their inherent tasks can be intangible. However, the discipline of Business Analysis is used to identify tangible project requirements and to specify tangible solutions to project goals.
An SRS covers tangible details about how a system must be structured. A 'requirement' is a capability to which a project product or service should conform. An SRS must have a specific structure, with each requirement written following a set of specific rules. This structure allows business analysts and software engineers to easily translate the SRS into an architectural project solution specification. 'Requirements' are also beneficial because they are written in plain English, without technical jargon, and can be understood by higher level management who may not have IT experience. In this manner, the SRS serves as an effective communication medium between businesses and IT.
With the completion of project software requirements specifications, a project solution must be specified by taking into all account architectural components required to build the system. This involves hardware, software and project resources. To assist in the development of the Project Solution Specification, several business analysis tools or techniques will be used.