The Short Story
While writing requirements texts (imperative sentences like "The SW shall etc."), as part of the analysis team, weasel words and weak expressions have to be avoided at all times. Automatic spell checking scripts can be devised to ensure that, prior to peer review, all these expressions are removed.What are weasel words?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel_word
Quoting:
"A 2009 study of Wikipedia found that most weasel words in it could be divided into three main categories:
- Numerically vague expressions (for example, "some people", "experts", "many")
- Use of the passive voice to avoid specifying an authority (for example, "it is said")
- Adverbs that weaken (for example, "often", "probably")
Other forms of weasel words may include these:
- Non sequitur statements
- Use of vague or ambiguous euphemisms
- Use of grammatical devices such as qualifiers and the subjunctive mood
- Glittering or vague generalizations"
Remember: ambiguity is one of our major enemies when doing requirements analysis. Whatever gets approved will have to be implemented by the development team and tests will have to be written against it (by the test analysts). A requirement using weak expressions is failing the S criteria in the SMART quality attributes all requirements should have.
