EMERGENCE PROPERTIES,

QUATIFIABLE REQUIREMENT,
SYSTEM AND SOFTWARE
REQUIREMENT.
NAMES:
1. SOLAJA ADEIFE
2. OKUNOLA MATTHEW
INTRODUCTION
 In systems engineering and software
development, understanding the requirements
and properties of a system is crucial to
delivering a successful product. These include
not only functional requirements—what the
system must do—but also other critical aspects
like emergent properties, quantifiable
requirements, system requirements, and
software requirements. Here’s a comprehensive
guide to these concepts and their roles in the
development lifecycle.
EMERGENT PROPERTIES
Emergent properties are characteristics of a system
that arise only when its components interact as a whole,
rather than being properties of individual components.
They "emerge" from the interactions and relationships
between components, often in ways that are not
predictable from the properties of the components
alone.
Examples of Emergent Properties
 Reliability: While individual components may fail, the
system as a whole can still maintain reliability by
handling failures gracefully.
 Security: Security in a system results from the
combined effect of multiple subsystems (e.g.,
authentication, encryption, access control), which
individually may not offer complete security.
 Performance: System performance often depends on
complex interactions between hardware, software,
and network components rather than the
performance of any single component.
 Scalability: The ability of a system to handle growth
in workload or number of users is not simply the sum
of individual parts but often depends on system-
wide design.
Importance in Systems Engineering
Emergent properties are vital in complex
systems as they often define critical aspects of
system behavior that impact usability,
functionality, and user satisfaction. These
properties can be challenging to predict and
quantify because they depend on the interplay
of components rather than any single
component's performance.
QUATIFIABLE REQUIREMENTS
Quantifiable requirements are specific, measurable
criteria that a system must meet to be considered
successful. They establish a clear, objective basis for
assessing the system’s performance and functionality,
often expressed in terms of metrics, tolerances, or
ranges.
Key Areas for Quantifiable Requirements
 Performance Metrics: Requirements may specify
speed, response time, or processing capacity (e.g.,
“The system must process up to 1000 requests per
second”).
 Reliability Metrics: Quantifiable reliability
requirements might specify mean time
between failures (MTBF) or availability (e.g.,
“The system must have 99.99% uptime”).
 Security Metrics: Security quantifiable
requirements could include encryption
standards, authentication success rate, or
frequency of security audits.
 Usability Metrics: These could include specific
response times for user actions or error rates
acceptable during normal use.
Importance in Requirements Engineering
Quantifiable requirements are essential
because they provide concrete goals that the
development team can aim for and
stakeholders can verify. They facilitate better
project management by setting clear
benchmarks and enabling more accurate
tracking of progress and quality.
 System Requirements
System requirements outline the high-level
specifications that define what the entire system should
do. These requirements typically encompass both
functional requirements (describing specific actions the
system must perform) and non-functional requirements
(describing overall attributes such as reliability, security,
and performance).
Types of System Requirements
 Functional Requirements: Describe what the system
must do, such as "The system must allow users to log in
using multifactor authentication."
 Non-Functional Requirements: Define qualities or
constraints, such as performance, security, and
scalability. Non-functional requirements are often
where emergent properties come into play.
 Interface Requirements: Define how the system
interacts with external systems, which can include
hardware, software, or user interfaces (e.g., "The
system must connect to an external database using a
secure API").
 Environmental Requirements: These requirements
specify the conditions under which the system must
operate, like temperature tolerance, noise levels, or
compatibility with certain software environments.
Role of System Requirements in Development
System requirements act as a blueprint for the
entire project, guiding the design, development,
and testing phases. They ensure that all
stakeholders have a shared understanding of
what the system should accomplish. System
requirements are typically captured early in the
project and refined as the system's design
evolves.
Software Requirements
Software requirements are specific to the software
components of a system. They detail the functionalities,
performance, and constraints of the software. Software
requirements are derived from system requirements,
focusing on the part of the system implemented
through software rather than hardware.
Types of Software Requirements
 Functional Requirements: Define specific features,
behaviors, and functions that the software must
implement (e.g., "The software must support
password reset functionality").
 Non-Functional Requirements: Similar to system-
level non-functional requirements but scoped
specifically to software. These might include
scalability, security protocols, response times, or user
interface guidelines.
 Performance Requirements: Requirements focused
on how the software should perform, often in terms
of speed, latency, and response time.
 Data Requirements: Specifications regarding data
handling, storage, and privacy, such as "The software
must support data encryption for all stored sensitive
data."
 Importance in Software Development
Software requirements provide a focused view
on what the software component of the system
needs to achieve. They break down system
requirements into specific, implementable features
and set the stage for coding, testing, and
validation. By establishing clear requirements,
developers can design software that aligns with
overall system objectives while addressing
software-specific considerations.
Relationship Between System and
Software Requirements
 System requirements include both hardware and
software components, representing the overall
functionality and constraints of the entire system.
 Software requirements are a subset of system
requirements, focused solely on the software
components.
The two work in tandem:
 System requirements provide a high-level blueprint,
guiding the development of the hardware and
software components to work together effectively.
 Software requirements focus on the
implementation details of the software, ensuring
it integrates properly with other system
components and meets specified performance
and functionality goals.
 Conclusion
In systems engineering and software development, defining
and managing requirements is essential for delivering a
successful system. Emergent properties, quantifiable
requirements, system requirements, and software
requirements all play unique roles in specifying what the
system needs to accomplish and how it should perform. Clear
and quantifiable requirements allow for better planning,
implementation, and testing, ensuring that each component
contributes effectively to the system’s overall objectives. By
considering these different aspects of requirements and their
interrelationships, engineers and developers can create
complex, reliable, and high-performance systems that meet
the needs of their users.