It is generally accepted that poorly written requirements can result in software with the wrong ftmctionality.The Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Software Assurance Technology Center (SATC) has developed .anearly life cycle tool for assessing requirements that are specified in natural language.The tool searches the document for terms the SATC has identified as quality indicators, e.g.weak phrases.The reports produced by the tool are used to identify specification statements and structural areas of the requirements specification document that need to be improved.The metrics are used by project managers to recognize and preclude potential areas of risk.