Ensuring testability of revised specs

After updates are made, each requirement should be clear enough to test in practice. A testable specification gives teams a way to prove whether a goal has been achieved. To make a requirement measurable, describe what success looks like in specific terms. Instead of saying “The page should load quickly,” define a limit such as “The page loads in under three seconds on mobile.”

Testability can apply to different types of requirements:

• Functional: Confirm whether a user action triggers the right response (for example, “When clicking ‘Save,’ a confirmation appears within two seconds”).
• Usability: Measure how easily users complete key tasks (like “80% of participants complete checkout without asking for help”).
• Performance: Track system efficiency through metrics such as load time, frame rate, or error rate.
• Accessibility: Verify that color contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen reader labels meet standards.

Creating a short table that links each requirement to its testing method, such as usability test, QA script, or analytics metric, helps ensure accountability. Clear, measurable statements make it possible to check progress objectively and avoid confusion during development.