IBM Rational Composer uses visual metaphors for requirements definition

IBM have released Rational Requirements Composer, a Jazz-based requirements definition tool set; intended to complement the Rational RequisitePro requirements manager.

Using the Jazz collaboration platform will allow all stakeholders to get a clearer view of the initial requirements formulation process right from the outset of the project; and utilize the chatting/tagging capabilities to speed up the process.

What could potentially make this tool especially useful for the digital media world is the advertised ability to capture storyboards, user-interface sketches and rich text - a boon to the more visually-oriented perspective that many in the digital media world find easier to work with.

"...This collaborative toolset provides the ability to visually capture requirements information as process sketches, storyboards, user-interface sketches, and rich text to better articulate and communicate the context of your requirements. Requirements context is further enhanced through shared glossaries, comment threads, and rich-text editors that facilitate collaboration and communication so teams anywhere in the world can provide inputs, get clarity, and achieve consensus quickly around developing business-driven architectures, code, test plans, and ultimately solutions."