AutoQuiz is edited by Joel Don, ISA's social media community manager.

Today's automation industry quiz question comes from the ISA Certified Automation Professional certification program. ISA CAP certification provides a non-biased, third-party, objective assessment and confirmation of an automation professional's skills. The CAP exam is focused on direction, definition, design, development/application, deployment, documentation, and support of systems, software, and equipment used in control systems, manufacturing information systems, systems integration, and operational consulting. Click this link for information about the CAP program. The following question comes from the CAP study guide, Performance Domain I, Feasibility Study: Identify scope and justify the automation project.

Gathering requirements are critical to the success of an automation project because they:

a) establish the design and engineering schedule
b) provide a basis for performing calculations
c) define the purpose, scope, and objectives
d) determine funding and buy-in from stakeholders
e) none of the above

Gathering requirements are important because they define the objectives, purpose, scope, needs, and other key meters. They perform the basis for understanding for the customer, the engineer, and other stakeholders.

Requirements may make it easier to get funding approval and stakeholder approval but only because the purpose, scope, and objectives are included. Gathering requirements should not affect the ease of calculation.

Requirements will not generate automatically in and of themselves and one should map them out before an automation project begins.

The correct answer is C; define the purpose, scope, and objectives.

Reference: Jim Parshall and Larry Lamb, Applying S88: Batch Control from a User's Perspective, ISA Press.