🎉 Module 8 – Gather better information, understanding requirements is now available

Announcements
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Module 8 is now available in the MoT Software Testing Essentials Certificate! This module focuses on what requirements are, exploring the many ways they can be documented—or sometimes not documented at all. You’ll learn how to clarify requirements so that the whole team has a shared understanding of what’s needed. By the end, you’ll be able to ask better questions, uncover hidden details, and check whether a requirement is clear enough to be tested.

What’s in Module 8?

Lesson 1: What are requirements, and why we should care?
By Manish Saini
Manish introduces the fundamentals of requirements—what they are, why they matter, and how they shape both development and testing. You’ll explore how clearly defined requirements reduce misunderstandings, improve planning, and set a strong foundation for successful software projects.

Lesson 2: The different types of requirements
By Rahul Parwal
Rahul explores various requirement types—business, user, functional, non-functional, and more. You’ll discover how methodologies like Agile or Waterfall influence how requirements are documented and learn why understanding these distinctions helps testers spot gaps and build better coverage.

Lesson 3: Clarifying requirements and identifying ambiguity (TestBytes)
With Maddy McMurrray , Emily O’Connor , Scott Kenyon , and Philippa Jennings
In this Test Bytes lesson you’ll listen to how four experienced testers tackle unclear requirements. They highlight the risks of vague phrases and show how asking the right questions can eliminate confusion, save time, and prevent costly rework.

Lesson 4: How to find testing opportunities in requirements
By Hanisha Arora
Hanisha demonstrates a structured, step-by-step model for breaking down requirements and turning them into actionable test ideas. Learn how to clarify a requirement’s intent and scope, uncover testing opportunities, and create effective test scenarios.

Lesson 5: When requirements don’t look like requirements
By Rahul Parwal
Rahul highlights how some requirements—like business rules, regulations, or standards—may not be formally documented but still impact your project. Practice spotting hidden or tacit requirements and see how even “unofficial” expectations shape the final product.

Lesson 6: Spotting the testability of the requirements (Test Chat)
With Ash Winter and Nicola Lindgren
In this Test Chat, Ash and Nicola discuss what makes a requirement testable and share frameworks and mnemonics (like INVEST, CODS and the 10 Ps of Testability) that help you identify potential issues early. They also share real-world stories of both highly testable and frustratingly untestable requirements.