Business analysis glossary
BRD (Business Requirements Document)
What it is
A BRD is a document that records the business need, objectives, scope, stakeholders and high-level requirements of a project. It is written mainly for business decision makers and sponsors rather than for developers. A typical BRD also lists assumptions, constraints, risks, success measures and the business processes affected.
Why it matters
It creates a single place where sponsors agree what the project must achieve. Later documents and tests can be traced back to it. For the analyst it is the baseline for change control, because any new request can be compared with what was agreed.
Example
The BRD for the Cedar Credit Union loan-approval project has a purpose, scope, a stakeholder list, twelve numbered business requirements, assumptions and risks, and a sign-off page signed by the head of lending. Developers read the later documents; the BRD exists so the people who pay for the project can confirm they are buying the right thing.