Overview
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Type ID | userNeed |
| Sort Order | 0 (default work item type) |
| Domain | Requirements (Requirements space) |
| Managed In | USER-NEEDS document |
| ISO Standard | ISO 14971 (Intended Use), IEC 62366 (User Requirements) |
userNeed type is the default work item type in the project. New work items are created as User Needs unless explicitly changed. The Smart Infusion Pump reference device defines 30 user needs.
Custom Fields
User need work items have no custom fields. They use only standard Polarion fields.Standard Fields
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
title | String | Name of the user need (e.g., “Device shall deliver fluid at prescribed rate”) |
description | Rich text | Detailed description of the stakeholder need |
status | Enum (status) | Lifecycle state: Draft, In Review, Pending Approval, Approved, Rejected, Obsolete |
severity | Enum (severity) | General severity classification (exposed in RTM model) |
priority | Enum (priority) | Priority level (Highest through Lowest) |
Link Roles
User needs are the root of the V-Model traceability chain, connecting to requirements, use steps, and validation:| Link Role | Direction | Connected Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
parent | Both | userNeed | Hierarchical nesting under chapters/groups (same-type only) |
refines | Reverse (from sysReq) | sysReq | System requirements that refine this need |
address | Reverse (from useStep) | useStep | Use steps that address this need |
validates | Reverse (from testCase) | testCase | Test cases that validate this need |
RTM Domain Model
In the RTM domain model (rtm.yaml), UserNeed is a domain entity with specific pick constraints:
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Polarion Type | userNeed |
| Exposed Properties | description, outlineNumber, severity |
| Pick Constraint | Documents in Requirements moduleFolder with moduleName: UserNeedSpecification |
| Relationships | UserNeed --[parent]--> Chapter (many-to-one) |
PowerSheet Views
User needs appear in multiple powersheet configurations:| Sheet | Role | Column Group |
|---|---|---|
| Whole RTM Config | Root entity | User Needs (green) — start of traceability chain |
| User Need Validation Sheet | Root entity | User Needs (green) + Validation Tests (orange) + Validation Evidence (red) |
| Use Steps Specification | Linked entity | User Needs (green) via address role from use steps |
| Component RTM | Linked entity | Upstream user needs via refines back-link from system requirements |
Document Organization
User needs are contained in a single document:| Document | Space | Count |
|---|---|---|
| USER-NEEDS | Requirements | 30 user needs |
parent link role to heading (Chapter) work items, providing document-structure-aware organization.
Related Pages
- Work Item Types — Overview of all 16 work item types
- System Requirement (sysReq) — Requirements that refine user needs
- Use Step (useStep) — Use steps that address user needs
- V-Model Traceability Chain — End-to-end traceability concept
- PowerSheet Configuration Reference — RTM and validation sheet configurations
- Link Roles and Traceability Relationships — Full link role reference