Pflichtenheften

Pflichtenheft is a document used in German-speaking project management and requirements engineering. It is created by the contractor or supplier and translates the customer’s needs described in the Lastenheft into a concrete plan for realization. The Pflichtenheft defines how the system will be built, which functions will be implemented, and which technical solutions will be used. It serves as the technical basis for design, implementation, and later verification and acceptance.

The Pflichtenheft sits between the customer’s requirements (Lastenheft) and the actual development work. While the Lastenheft specifies what is needed and why, the Pflichtenheft describes how those requirements will be implemented, including decisions about architecture, components, interfaces, and standards. It is typically part of the contractual agreement and becomes the reference for development tasks and for acceptance testing.

Typical content includes functional requirements (what the system must do), non-functional requirements (performance, reliability, security, usability, maintainability), system and component architecture, interfaces and data exchange, data models and formats, hardware and software environment, standards and regulatory constraints, migration or transition considerations, project constraints (timeline, budget, resources), risk notes, and explicit acceptance criteria with test procedures.

Development and use of a Pflichtenheft follow formal change management. It is reviewed and approved by both customer and supplier and serves as the basis for design, implementation, and verification activities, ensuring that the delivered system meets the agreed specifications.