What does FURPS mean in Software?

Functionality, Usability, Reliability, Performance, Supportability

Functionality: The F in the FURPS+ acronym represents all the system-wide functional requirements that one would expect to be described. These functional requirements represent the main product features and provide the answer to the question; What does the product do for us?. rather than, how does it accomplish the result. The easy way to think of 'functional requirements' is to pose the question; why does this piece of software exist? This question is distinct from; security, view, touch and the reliability concerns which are important but not allied with the main function (or added value ) of the software. Usability: Usability includes viewing, capturing, and stating requirements based around user interface issues, e.g. accessibility, interface aesthetics and consistency within the user interface. Reliability : Reliability includes aspects such as availability, accuracy, and 'recoverability' { for example, from shut-down failure.} Performance: Performance involves issues such as transition of information, system response time (which also relates to usability), recovery time and start-up time. Supportability: This is a summation of requirements which address supporting the software; for example testability, adaptability, maintainability, compatibility, configurability, install-ability, scalability and localizebility. Plus + The '+' of the FURPS+ acronym allows for the specification of physical constraints, including those of design, implementation and interface. The specification of the FURPS+ characteristics needs to go into Systems Requirements.

Computing » Software