Non-Functional Questions v1.0.0
ID | S63 |
|---|---|
Version | 1.0.0 |
Type | Overarching Standard |
Status | Retired |
Effective Date |
Description
Non-functional requirements describe how the Solution works, not what the Solution should do, and serve as constraints or restrictions on the design of the Solution. The following non-functional questions are to enable NHS Digital to understand how the supplier Solution has implemented its non-functional requirements and how these requirements will fulfil the contractual SLAs.
Non-Functional Questions Model
The non-functional questions (NFQs) model illustrated within Figure A attempts to show the relationships between the supplier Solution and the non-functional requirements (NFRs) required to satisfy the required service SLAs.
Suppliers are responsible for ensuring the non-functional elements of their Solutions are capable of meeting the defined service levels for specific capabilities provided as well as any other NFRs specified by NHS Digital across other standards. The NFQs are to allow the supplier to provide evidence to NHS Digital and Purchasers that their Solution will be able to satisfy the required SLAs. Suppliers will be required to demonstrate they understand the non functional landscape of the market they are selling into.
Figure A - Non-Functional Questions Model
Non-Functional Categories
- 1 Usability
- 2 Performance and Scalability
- 3 Volume and Performance
- 4 Non Functional Testing
- 5 Recoverability
- 6 Backup capability
- 7 Availability
- 8 Resilience
- 9 Information Governance
- 10 Security
- 11 Service Management
- 12 Capacity Management
- 13 Legal Regulations, Compliance and Audit
- 14 Flexibility and Extensibility
- 15 Interoperability / APIs
- 16 Integrity
- 17 Mobile Working
Usability
ID | Sub-category | Description | Evidence Example | Assessment Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GP-NFQ-U-1 | User roles | What are the expected user roles in the Solution? Who are the users? What are their needs? How do you know? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-U-2 | Physical user requirements | What do users require, e.g. headphones, specialist devices, card readers etc? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-U-3 | Supported browser versions | Which browsers are supported and what are the minimum and recommended versions? How do you approach the deprecation and uplift of browser versions? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-U-4 | Required browser plugins or extensions | Are any specific browser plugins or extensions required? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-U-5 | Language support | Which non-English languages are supported? Which localisation settings are supported? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-U-6 | UI standards | What user interface standards does the Solution meet? Are you following ISO 9241-210:2010 - the ‘six principles for human centred design'? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
Performance and Scalability
ID | Sub-category | Description | Evidence Example | Assessment Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GP-NFQ-PS-1 | Number of named user accounts | What is the maximum number of individual named user accounts that can be supported? | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-2 | Number of user groups | What is the maximum number of different user groups or roles of users that can be supported? | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-3 | Number of concurrent sessions | What is the peak number of concurrent user sessions the Solution can support? | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-4 | Average session length (login to logout) | What length of time is an average user session expected to last? Provide Mode, Median & Mean values. | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-5 | Response times | What are the expected response times in a given percentage of cases for a given operation e.g. Login or Open Patient Record? Provide different types of operation including command & query operations. | Provide values, show how the figures are derived, including any considerations which may impact these values. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-6 | Transactions per second | How many user transactions per second are supported? Define what a user transaction consists of and how it is measured. | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-7 | Online service transaction volumes | How many online batch transactions per second are supported? Define what a batch transaction consists of and how it is measured. | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-8 | Timeliness | What is the refresh time on updated data in a user view? | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-9 | Query and reporting times | What is the average elapsed time for reports be made available to users after being requested? Define what the reports consists of and how many records are included. | Provide values, show how the figures are derived, including any considerations which may impact these values. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-10 | Expected growth over time | What is the expected growth in number of users, transaction volumes, storage requirements etc. per year? | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-11 | System Response Times | Describe how measurements are calculated for system response times to meet SLAs. | Provide values, show how the figures are derived, including any considerations which may impact the values. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-12 | End User Interaction Timings | Describe how measurements are calculated for end user interaction timings to meet SLAs. | Provide values, show how the figures are derived, including any considerations which may impact the values. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-PS-13 | Interface Mechanism Response Times | Describe how measurements are calculated for interface mechanism response times to meet SLAs. | Provide values, show how the figures are derived, including any considerations which may impact the values. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
Volume and Performance
ID | Sub-category | Description | Evidence Example | Assessment Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GP-NFQ-VP-1 | Model | Describe what volumetric model(s) are provided to enable volume and performance tests encompassing load, ramp, stress and soak phases? | Provide model(s), show how the model(s) are derived, including any considerations which may impact the model(s). | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-VP-2 | V&P Performance | What V&P work has been undertaken to ensure the Solution will meet expected volume & performance SLAs. | Provide statement of V&P assessment activities and associated test reports. | Demonstrate systematic approach of how the evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-VP-3 | Spine | What V & P testing of National Spine interactions (e.g. Personal Demographics Service, Summary Care Record, e-Referral Service, ..) is planned, to ensure supplier’s Solution has no impact on National Spine services? | Provide test plan. | Validate test coverage. |
Non Functional Testing
ID | Sub-category | Description | Evidence Example | Assessment Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GP-NFQ-T-1 | Test Plan | Describe what test plan and schedule of non-functional testing is in place and with what associated documentation? | Provide test plan to include sufficient details of scope and coverage. | Validate scope and non-functional test coverage. |
GP-NFQ-T-2 | Data Protection Testing | What Data Protection testing is in place to show legislation is met? | Provide test plan to include sufficient details of scope and coverage. | Validate scope and non-functional test coverage. |
GP-NFQ-T-3 | ITHC / Penetration Testing | What ITHC / penetration testing is planned? | Provide testing scope, documented process, and test, and corrective action evidence. | Validate scope, process & testing and any recommendations required corrective actions completed. acted upon. |
GP-NFQ-T-4 | Ready for Operations (RFO) Testing | What RFO testing is planned? | Provide details of RFO test coverage, examples: • application / component failure and recovery • monitoring and reporting of SLAs | Validate test coverage. |
Recoverability
ID | Evidence Example | Assessment Criteria | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
GP-NFQ-R-1 | Disaster recovery point objective (RPO) | What RPO is possible with this Solution and how does that map to the required SLA? | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-R-2 | Disaster recovery time objective (RTO) | What RTO is possible with this Solution and how does that map to the required SLA? | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
Backup capability
ID | Sub-category | Description | Evidence Example | Assessment Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GP-NFQ-B-1 | Capability | Describe in detail what backup and recovery mechanisms are implemented. | Confirm formal processes and mechanisms are in place. Provide design and documentation of implementation and operational processes. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of design, implementation and processes. |
GP-NFQ-B-2 | Validation & Testing | Describe what testing has been undertaken to demonstrate the mechanism and processes support your operational requirements. | Confirm formal processes and mechanisms are in place. Provide design and documentation of implementation and operational processes. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of design, implementation and processes. |
GP-NFQ-B-3 | Periodic Testing | Describe what periodic testing of backup and recovery is undertaken? | Confirm formal processes and mechanisms are in place. Provide design and documentation of implementation and operational processes. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of design, implementation and processes. |
Availability
ID | Sub-category | Description | Evidence Example | Assessment Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GP-NFQ-A-1 | Availability | What is your service availability during agreed service hours. 90% ("one nine") 36.5 days 72 hours 16.8 hours | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-A-2 | Service hours | What are the standard business operating hours the Solution needs to be available for users? | Provide a value, show how the figure is derived, including any considerations which may impact this value. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-A-3 | Scheduled maintenance windows | What are the requirements for any scheduled periods of unavailability to perform Solution maintenance? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-A-4 | External system impacts | Does the availability of any external systems affect this Solution? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-A-5 | Fault tolerance | Describe any Single Points of Failure (SPOF) within the Solution or external that the Solution relies upon for operation. | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-A-6 | Degradability | Describe the ability of the solution to operate with reduced capacity or functionality in the event of an unexpected event, e.g. site failure | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-A-7 | Disaster recovery minimum recovery operating level (MROL) | In the event of a disaster what are the minimum business services that need to be recovered to continue operating? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
Resilience
ID | Sub-category | Description | Evidence Example | Assessment Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GP-NFQ-R-1 | Service Level Agreements (SLAs) | Describe how the hardware and software design supports the SLAs? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-R-2 | Hardware Design | Describe what level of resilience is provided in the hardware design? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-R-3 | Software Design | Describe what level of resilience is provided in the software design? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-R-4 | Business Impact of Service Incidents | Describe what mapping of business impacts of service incidents against levels of resilience has been undertaken? | Provide documented evidence and rationale, including any impact considerations. | Demonstrate systematic approach and rationale of how evidence is derived. |
GP-NFQ-R-5 | Component Failure Impact Analysis |