This skill enables AI assistants to create comprehensive, professional Business Requirement Documents (BRDs) that clearly communicate business needs, objectives, and high-level requirements to stakeholders and development teams.
When to Use This Skill
After completing requirements elicitation
At the start of a new project or major initiative
When seeking executive approval and funding
To establish project scope and boundaries
Before creating detailed FRS documents
What is a BRD?
A Business Requirement Document (BRD) is a formal document that:
Describes the business problem or opportunity
Defines business objectives and success criteria
Outlines high-level business requirements
Establishes project scope (in-scope and out-of-scope)
Identifies stakeholders and their needs
Documents assumptions, constraints, and dependencies
BRD vs. FRS :
BRD : WHAT the business needs and WHY (business perspective)
FRS : HOW the system will meet those needs (technical perspective)
BRD Structure
1. Executive Summary
Purpose : Provide a concise overview for busy executives
Write this section LAST (after completing the rest of the BRD)
Use business language, not technical jargon
Focus on business value and ROI
Make it compelling - this may be all executives read
Example :
Project : Mobile App Development for Customer Self-Service
Business Problem : Customers currently must call our support center for account inquiries, order tracking, and returns, resulting in 15,000+ monthly support calls and $450K annual support costs. Customer satisfaction scores for support are 3.2/5.
Proposed Solution : Develop a mobile application (iOS and Android) enabling customers to self-serve for common inquiries, track orders in real-time, and initiate returns without agent assistance.
Expected Benefits : Reduce support call volume by 60% (9,000 calls/month), save $270K annually in support costs, improve customer satisfaction to 4.5/5, and increase customer retention by 15%.
Investment : $180K development cost, 4-month timeline
ROI : Payback in 8 months, $540K savings over 2 years
2. Business Objectives
Purpose : Define what the business wants to achieve
Contents :
Primary business objective
Secondary objectives
Alignment with company strategy
Success criteria (measurable)
Format : Use SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
Example :
Primary Objective : Reduce customer support costs by 60% within 6 months of mobile app launch
Secondary Objectives :
Improve customer satisfaction score from 3.2 to 4.5 within 3 months of launch
Increase customer retention rate by 15% within 12 months
Enable 24/7 customer self-service capabilities
Strategic Alignment : Supports company's digital transformation initiative and customer-first strategy
Success Criteria :
70% of customers download and activate the app within 6 months
60% reduction in support call volume
4.5+ app store rating
80% of users complete tasks without contacting support
3. Background & Context
Purpose : Provide context for why this project is needed
Contents :
Current situation description
History and evolution of the problem
Previous attempts to solve (if any)
Market or competitive drivers
Regulatory or compliance drivers (if applicable)
Example :
Our customer support center currently handles 15,000 calls per month, with 70% being routine inquiries (order status, account balance, return requests) that don't require human expertise. Industry benchmarks show that companies with self-service mobile apps reduce support costs by 50-70% while improving customer satisfaction.
Our main competitors (CompanyX and CompanyY) launched mobile apps in 2024 and have seen significant improvements in customer satisfaction and retention. Customer surveys indicate that 65% of our customers prefer mobile self-service over calling support.
Previous attempts to address this through a web portal in 2023 achieved only 15% adoption due to poor mobile experience and lack of push notifications for order updates.
4. Stakeholder Analysis
Purpose : Identify who is impacted and their needs
Format : Table with stakeholder roles, interests, and requirements
Stakeholder Group
Key Representatives
Interest/Concern
Key Requirements
Customers
End users
Easy access to account info, order tracking
Intuitive UI, fast performance, offline access
Customer Support
Support Manager
Reduced call volume, better tools
Integration with support system, escalation path
IT Operations
IT Director
System stability, security
Secure authentication, API performance, monitoring
Marketing
Marketing VP
Customer engagement, retention
Push notifications, personalization, analytics
Executive Team
CEO, CFO
ROI, strategic alignment
Cost savings, customer satisfaction improvement
5. Scope Definition
5.1 In-Scope
Purpose : Clearly define what WILL be included
Format : Categorized list of features/capabilities
Example for E-commerce Mobile App :
Account Management :
User registration and login
Profile management
Password reset
Biometric authentication (Face ID, Touch ID)
Order Management :
Order history viewing
Real-time order tracking
Order details and invoice download
Reorder functionality
Product Browsing :
Product catalog browsing
Product search and filtering
Product details and images
Wishlist management
Customer Support :
FAQ and help center
Live chat integration
Support ticket submission
Call-back request
Notifications :
Order status push notifications
Promotional notifications
Delivery updates
5.2 Out-of-Scope
Purpose : Explicitly state what will NOT be included (manage expectations)
Example :
In-app purchasing (Phase 2)
Augmented reality product preview (Phase 2)
Social media integration (Future consideration)
Loyalty program management (Separate project)
International shipping (Q3 2026 expansion)
6. Business Requirements
Format : Organized by category with clear, business-focused language
6.1 Functional Requirements (High-Level)
BR-001: User Authentication
Requirement : System shall provide secure user authentication
Business Value : Protect customer data and ensure privacy
