Efficient selection of requirements management tools: Why the long list/ short list approach often fails

Choosing the right requirements management tool is crucial for companies looking to optimize their product development process.

Many organizations traditionally rely on the established Long List/Short List model: first, numerous tools are collected in a "Long List," followed by a narrowed "Short List" for further evaluation. However, with requirements management tools, this approach is often ineffective.

Why? Because this selection method often overlooks the actual market situation.

Let's take a look at why this is the case - and what a better approach might look like.

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Too Many "Wrong" Tools in the Selection

Creating an extensive Long List is already a challenge. Unlike many software categories, there are only a few true requirements management tools that offer the full range of functions necessary for professional requirements management. Many tools marketed as such were originally developed for other applications and only provide limited requirements management functions.

Examples include Jira and Confluence. Originally designed for project and knowledge management, they cover task management and documentation but lack the in-depth traceability, consistency checks, or version control needed for solid requirements management.

Similarly, Trello or ClickUp, known for task management, fall into this category - their specialized functions, such as dependency management or impact analysis, are entirely missing. These tools often make it onto the Long List but are only conditionally suitable for genuine requirements management.

All-rounders like Microsoft Excel and SharePoint are also frequently used for requirements management. While Excel is easy to use and widely adopted, it lacks critical features like traceability and automated version control. Such tools lack the specialized infrastructure required for comprehensive requirements management.

On the other hand, some tools support requirements management alongside many other functions. An example is Siemens’ Polarion ALM. Although it offers sophisticated requirements management features, it is a complex Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) tool and includes many additional functions that can complicate its use solely for requirements management.

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The Long List/Short List method can therefore quickly lead to considering tools that either have too few or too many unnecessary functions. This results in companies wasting time and resources evaluating such tools — time that could be better invested in directly examining specialized solutions.

Proven requirements management solutions include ReqSuite® RM, IBM DOORS, Jama Connect, and Codebeamer. These tools provide all essential functions, such as dependency management, traceability, and version control, which are critical for companies with high process requirements.

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Conclusion: Stay Focused

The classic Long List/Short List approach is rarely practical in requirements management because many tools found in online lists either offer only rudimentary features or are simply overloaded. It’s better to look at the few tools that truly cover the entire requirements process and take the time for practical testing.

We've summarized our tips here to help avoid common pitfalls from the start, ensuring you find the requirements management tool that genuinely supports your processes.