Of all the annoying things. I've found myself having to re-create a series of documents due to a massive change of scope in my current project. While doing this, I decided I needed to check to ensure that my Originating Requirements Document matched the standard for this document. So I first looked into the IEEE library. No standard. That's fine, I thought. I can always try DoD.

Well, the closest thing to a DoD ORD standard is DI-IPSC-81430A Operational Concept Description.

This particular document has a structure like thus:

1. Scope
1. Identification
2. System Overview
   
2. Referenced Documents
3. Current System or Situation
1. Background, objectives, and scope
2. Operational policies and constraints
3. Description of current system or situation
4. Users or involved personnel
5. Support Concept
   
4. Justification for and nature of Changes
1. Justification for change
2. Description of needed changes
3. Priorities among the changes
4. Changes considered but not included
5. Assumptions and constraints
   
5. Concept for new or modified system
1. Background, objectives, and scope
2. Operational policies and constraints
3. Description of the new or modified system
4. Users/affected personnel
5. Support Concept
   
6. Operational Scenarios
7. Summary of Impacts
1. Operational Impacts
2. Organizational Impacts
3. Impacts during Development
   
8. Analysis of proposed system
1. Summary of Advantages
2. Summary of Disadvantages/limitations
3. Alternatives and trade-offs considered
   
9. Notes

While that is all well and good, it is heavily geared towards developing a customized or modified version of an existing system. There are rather large blocks of the document which I would need to tailor out just because I'm developing a new system.

Well, since I cannot find an Originating Requirements template that effectively meets my needs, then I am going to be kind of forced to design one. My initial thoughts are thus:

1. Identification
1. Purpose
2. System Overview
   
2. References
3. Operational Scenarios
4. Originating Requirements
5. Notes
   

When I get a chance, I'll toss this into Word with a bit more thought behind it and worded like an appropriate template for this type of stuff.