A comprehensive requirements documentation structure for a multi-service .NET platform following Self-Contained Systems (SCS) architecture patterns.
This repository demonstrates a professional approach to documenting requirements for a distributed platform consisting of multiple self-contained services. The structure supports both functional and non-functional requirements while maintaining clear separation of concerns across services.
- Self-Contained Systems (SCS): Each service owns its data, UI, and business logic
- Domain-Driven Design: Services aligned with business domains
- Event-Driven Architecture: Loose coupling through domain events
- API-First Design: Well-defined contracts between services
- Cloud-Native: Built for Azure with scalability and resilience
docs/
├── requirements/
│ ├── 01-system-overview.md # High-level system description
│ ├── 02-system-capabilities.md # Platform capabilities and roadmap
│ ├── 03-global-nfr.md # System-wide non-functional requirements
│ ├── 04-integration-patterns.md # Service communication patterns
│ ├── 05-security-architecture.md # Security across all services
│ │
│ ├── user-experience/
│ │ ├── ux-principles.md # Design principles and standards
│ │ ├── user-journeys.md # End-to-end user workflows
│ │ ├── accessibility-requirements.md # WCAG compliance and inclusive design
│ │ └── ui-guidelines.md # Consistent UI patterns
│ │
│ ├── services/
│ │ ├── user-service/
│ │ │ ├── service-overview.md # Complete service specification
│ │ │ ├── functional-requirements.md # Service-specific features
│ │ │ ├── nfr-specific.md # Service-specific NFRs
│ │ │ └── api-contracts.md # REST/gRPC specifications
│ │ │
│ │ └── shared-contracts/
│ │ ├── common-models.md # Shared data models
│ │ ├── events-schema.md # Domain events structure
│ │ └── integration-contracts.md # Service-to-service contracts
│ │
│ └── cross-cutting/
│ ├── monitoring-logging.md # Observability requirements
│ ├── configuration-management.md # Service configuration
│ ├── error-handling-patterns.md # Consistent error handling
│ └── testing-strategy.md # Testing across services
│
├── decisions/
│ ├── 001-microservices-vs-modular-monolith.md
│ ├── 002-net-framework-vs-net-core.md
│ └── 003-database-per-service.md
│
└── operations/
├── sla-requirements.md # Service level agreements
├── disaster-recovery.md # Backup and recovery
├── capacity-planning.md # Scaling requirements
└── compliance-requirements.md # GDPR, SOX, etc.
- System-wide and service-specific requirements
- Functional and non-functional requirements
- User experience and technical architecture
- Operational and compliance considerations
- Template-based approach for adding new services
- Clear separation between global and service-specific concerns
- Consistent documentation patterns across all services
- User journey mapping for better requirement traceability
- Capability-based planning with roadmap integration
- Stakeholder-specific documentation sections
- Modern .NET microservices patterns
- Cloud-native architecture considerations
- Security-by-design principles
- Comprehensive integration patterns
- Monitoring and observability requirements
- Disaster recovery and business continuity
- Compliance and governance frameworks
- Capacity planning and scaling strategies
- .NET 8+: Primary development framework
- Azure Cloud: Infrastructure and platform services
- Azure SQL Database: Transactional data storage
- Azure Cosmos DB: Document and flexible schema storage
- Azure Service Bus: Reliable messaging and events
- API-First: OpenAPI 3.0 specifications
- Event-Driven: Domain events for service communication
- Security: OAuth 2.0, Azure AD integration, end-to-end encryption
- Monitoring: Application Insights, structured logging
- Testing: Comprehensive testing strategy with 80%+ coverage
- Start with
01-system-overview.mdfor business context - Review
02-system-capabilities.mdfor feature planning - Examine
user-experience/user-journeys.mdfor user story alignment
- Review
04-integration-patterns.mdfor service communication - Study
05-security-architecture.mdfor security patterns - Examine service-specific requirements in
services/folder
- Start with
services/shared-contracts/for common patterns - Review individual service requirements for implementation details
- Follow
cross-cutting/guidelines for consistent implementation
- Review
03-global-nfr.mdfor performance and reliability requirements - Study
operations/folder for deployment and maintenance procedures - Examine monitoring and alerting requirements
When adding new services or updating requirements:
- Use Consistent Structure: Follow the established template patterns
- Maintain Traceability: Link requirements to business objectives
- Update Cross-References: Ensure shared contracts and integration points are updated
- Document Decisions: Use Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) for significant choices
- Keep Current: Regular reviews to ensure requirements remain aligned with implementation
- Clear service boundaries and responsibilities
- Consistent patterns across all services
- Comprehensive API contracts and data models
- Well-defined integration points
- Clear capability roadmap and feature planning
- User-centric requirement organization
- Transparent technical architecture decisions
- Compliance and risk management documentation
- Comprehensive monitoring and alerting requirements
- Disaster recovery and business continuity planning
- Capacity planning and scaling guidelines
- Security and compliance frameworks
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
This structure incorporates industry best practices for:
- Domain-Driven Design (DDD)
- Microsoft .NET microservices guidance
- Azure Well-Architected Framework
- OWASP security principles
- WCAG accessibility standards