We, as human beings, have lots and lots of needs and requirements. When one of our needs is achieved, another need comes into play. In Maslow’s need hierarchy theory, it is rightly said that human needs and requirements are infinite; they are never-ending. Once one of our goals is achieved, another goal comes into play. Need and requirements are two constant variables of human life.
Need vs Requirement
The main difference between a need and a requirement is that a need is more widespread while a requirement is limited in scope. A need is the drive of human beings to achieve a particular goal or objective, while a requirement is a process through which the needs of human beings are satisfied. Need is an independent factor, while the requirement is dependent on the needs of people.
Need is a thing that motivates people to engage in certain activities. It is a necessity in human life that stimulates people to move forward to achieve something. It is very important for an individual to derive satisfaction with his or her current life and to remain in good physical and mental condition. Need is a continuous and recurring process, which means it is never-ending.
A requirement, on the other hand, is a process or substance or steps to be taken to achieve or fulfill a need. It is more detailed and specific. It is based upon the fact that need is recurring and continuous, which is why requirements are never-ending. Requirements are highly dependent on the type of need and change whenever there is a change in human needs.
Comparison Table Between Need and Requirement
| Parameters of Comparison | Need | Requirement |
| Definition | Need is the objective or goal a person determines or has in his life. | A requirement is a process that lays down the steps to conquer a requirement. |
| Dependency | Need is an independent variable that changes any time with the change of the human mind. | The requirement is dependent on need and changes as soon as the need is changed. |
| Scope | The need is vast in scope and is inclusive of requirements. | The requirements are limited in scope. |
| Comprehensive | Need is a broad concept that is not comprehensive and does not determine how to achieve a goal. | The requirement is a detailed process that lays down what a human being needs to do step-by-step to achieve a goal. |
| Influence | A need can be vastly influenced by people’s thinking and ways of determining things. | The requirements are influenced by need. |
What is Need?
Need is a motivator for people to participate in specific activities. It is a requirement in human life that people go forward to achieve something. It is critical for an individual to be happy in his or her current situation and to have good physical and mental health. Need is a never-ending process since it is a constant and repeating process.
Maslow has described human needs in a need hierarchy model that includes five types of needs that are
- Physiological Needs: Physiological needs are the needs that are required for the basic safety of human beings.
- Safety needs: when the above-mentioned need is achieved, then comes this need, which implies the protection of physiological needs.
- Social Needs: This need includes the desire to get love, acceptance, and a sense of validation from others.
- Esteem needs: These needs are dual, i.e., for oneself and others. This need is to prove who a person is and flex their abilities.
- Self-actualisation: This type of need is the need to achieve or fulfill the dreams that one person holds.
In business, needs are the substances or requirements that are needed to bridge the gap between the current state and the future desired.
What is Requirement?
A requirement, on the other hand, is a method, substance, or set of steps that must be followed to achieve or fulfill a need. It is more particular and detailed. It is on the concept that needs are never-ending because they are ongoing and continual. Requirements vary greatly depending on the kind of need, and they alter anytime human needs change.
Requirements are detailed processes, i.e., writing down in detail what the steps are and what step will come after what step to arrive at a satisfying result. It is important to remember that an adequate requirement should have the following nature:
- Confirmable-A requirement must be confirmable so that one can decide if it is the correct step to be chosen to fulfill the need.
- Realistic-A requirement should be realistic. If they are unattainable or impractical, they will only lead to disappointment and failure to meet the need.
- Complete: Requirements should be complete since they determine all the steps required to fulfill a need. If they are incomplete or left in between, one may not be able to fully complete their needs.
Main Differences Between Need and Requirement
- A need is a goal or objective that a human being wants to fulfill in life, while requirements are the steps and processes needed to be accomplished to complete a need.
- Needs are more human-centric and change with change in human tendency, while requirements are need-centric and change if there is a change in need.
- Needs are more vast in scope and are inclusive of requirements, while requirements are limited in scope.
- Need is a broad process and only figures out the objective or goal needed to be accomplished, while requirements are the specific and detailed process that lays out all the processes one has to accomplish to arrive at the desired goal.
- Need is independent and is only influenced by human beings, while the requirement is dependent on need and changes if there is a change in need.
Conclusion
Needs and requirements are a crucial part of human life. They are a continuous and recurring process. They are pervasive, i.e., they change with the changing environment. Needs and requirements apply to every human being and provide great satisfaction when achieved.
References
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/j.2334-5837.1993.tb01553.x
- https://digital-library.theiet.org/content/journals/10.1049/ip-c.1993.0041