A good user requirement specification (URS) describes what the system must achieve, not which product to buy. It is also the starting point for validation.
What to include
- Scope: sites, departments, assets and parameters, including expected growth.
- Measurement: ranges, accuracy, sampling interval and calibration requirements.
- Alarms: limits, delays, escalation, channels and acknowledgement.
- Continuity: behaviour during power and network failures, buffering and fault alarms.
- Evidence: audit trail, user management, electronic records and signatures, reports, data retention.
- Integration: equipment, cryogenic controllers, gas systems and building systems.
- IT and security: hosting, network requirements and information security certification.
- Services: installation, validation support, calibration, maintenance and support hours.
- Responsibilities: who responds to alarms, and what the supplier supports.
Tips for the procurement
- Prioritise requirements as must, should or could.
- Ask suppliers to demonstrate critical requirements.
- Compare total cost over the full term, including calibration and services, not only the purchase price.
- Visit or call a reference in your own sector.
How XiltriX Resilience fits
XiltriX Resilience is an Operational Resilience System built on three layers:
- Infrastructure: independent sensors and monitoring stations with battery support, resilient connectivity and local data buffering, so a power or network interruption does not create a gap in the record.
- Intelligence: validated software that turns measurements into alarms, escalation, trends, reports and audit-ready evidence.
- Care: installation, validation, calibration, preventive maintenance and 24/7 technical support for the monitoring system, delivered by one partner that is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified.