Write requirements people can act on.
Use concrete behavior, familiar language and examples. The reader should be able to tell what is expected and how it will be checked.
Replace adjectives with behavior
“Fast and intuitive” leaves important decisions unstated. Explain what the user needs to do, what information must be visible and how you will evaluate the experience. Use a performance target only when it reflects an actual business requirement.
Define the terms that drive decisions
If the workflow treats an “active customer” differently, explain what active means in this process. If an invoice is considered a duplicate, state which identifiers and review rules establish that conclusion.
Separate facts, assumptions and questions
A confirmed system version is a fact. A proposed integration method is an assumption until verified. An unknown permission is a question. Keeping them separate prevents a draft from quietly becoming an implementation promise.
Describe the exception as well as the usual case
Explain what happens when information is missing, sources disagree or an approval is declined. A workflow specification is more useful when it tells the operator how work stops safely and what is needed to continue.
Write an observable acceptance example
For an invoice workflow: given a document without a purchase reference, the system should prepare a review item that identifies the missing reference and preserves the original invoice. It should not create an approved payable. A reviewer can inspect that behavior directly.
Keep the first release understandable
Prioritize the behavior required for a useful first implementation. Keep later opportunities visible without making them implicit commitments in the current scope.
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