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IBM DOORS Reviews

Vendor: IBM
4.0 out of 5
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What is IBM DOORS?

IBM Engineering Requirements Management DOORS (DOORS) is a Requirements Management (RM) software designed to help organizations manage engineering project requirements throughout the development lifecycle. It provides a central location for capturing, defining, and organizing project requirements, facilitating communication and collaboration among stakeholders like engineers, system designers, and customers. Key features include requirements traceability, version control, and impact analysis, ensuring effective implementation and testing. DOORS improves efficiency, enhances communication, reduces risks, and supports better decision-making through clear visibility into requirements. Compared to its newer, web-based counterpart DOORS Next, the mature DOORS 9 offers a wider range of features with a traditional user interface but lacks web-based functionality and modern integration with IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) tools.

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IBM DOORS is the #2 ranked solution in top Application Requirements Management solutions. PeerSpot users give IBM DOORS an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. IBM DOORS is most commonly compared to Jira: IBM DOORS vs Jira. IBM DOORS is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 64% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a manufacturing company, accounting for 26% of all views.
Buyer's Guide
IBM DOORS
December 2025
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IBM DOORS mindshare

As of December 2025, the mindshare of IBM DOORS in the Application Requirements Management category stands at 28.6%, down from 34.6% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Requirements Management Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
IBM DOORS28.6%
Polarion Requirements15.1%
Jama Connect13.8%
Other42.5%
Application Requirements Management

PeerResearch reports based on IBM DOORS reviews

TypeTitleDate
CategoryApplication Requirements ManagementDec 29, 2025Download
ProductReviews, tips, and advice from real usersDec 29, 2025Download
ComparisonIBM DOORS vs JiraDec 29, 2025Download
ComparisonIBM DOORS vs Jama ConnectDec 29, 2025Download
ComparisonIBM DOORS vs Polarion RequirementsDec 29, 2025Download
Suggested products
TitleRatingMindshareRecommending
Jira4.112.9%91%277 interviewsAdd to research
Jama Connect3.813.8%88%17 interviewsAdd to research
 
 
Key learnings from peers
Last updated Dec 28, 2025

Valuable Features

Key features of IBM DOORS include extensive traceability, customizable processes via DXL scripting, and efficient configuration management. Users appreciate the tool's ability to manage large-scale requirements with detailed auditing and impact analysis. The integration capabilities, ease of linking requirements, and robust reporting functions enhance collaboration and scalability. The interface's familiarity and the ability to automate tasks make DOORS particularly valuable for complex project environments. Additionally, centralized data management aids in maintaining compliance across development stages.
  • "The ROI is really excellent, as I can manage customizations for projects across different regions with different standards, which significantly reduces process overhead and efforts while the team has detailed support that makes these customizations easy to handle."
  • "It helps to manage requirements efficiently, which significantly improves the way requirements are managed."
  • "I really enjoyed the API."

Room for Improvement

IBM DOORS faces several challenges that impede its usability and integration capabilities. It relies on a proprietary database engine, complicating its integration with other tools. The interface is considered outdated and user-unfriendly, necessitating training for effective use and hindering adoption by new users. Integration with Microsoft Office is fraught with difficulties, and handling images and requirements is cumbersome. Improvements in performance, scalability, and web-based interactions are desired to enhance its functionality in modern work environments.
  • "IBM DOORS should cover all engineering functions seamlessly, not just requirement engineering."
  • "It is complicated sometimes, such as the logic about updating, moving from one server version to another, and the communication between restricted and non-restricted servers."
  • "Enhancing security measures, particularly when handling multiple projects simultaneously, would be beneficial to prevent data loss within DOORS."

ROI

Many users report substantial savings and time efficiency with IBM DOORS. ROI often ranges from 10-20:1, particularly in large-scale projects, although smaller projects can also benefit if processes are consistent. The tool aids in meeting customer demands, managing requirements across regions, and identifying "orphan" requirements early. Some note that its efficacy in a regulated environment leads to successful high-revenue products. However, challenges include complexity and reduced service quality after IBM's acquisition.

Pricing

Enterprise users find IBM DOORS pricing substantial, with node-locked licenses initially affordable for small teams. As teams expand, flex licenses are cost-efficient. Total costs include development, schema design, training, and admin. Annual licensing fees exist without included support. Floating licenses and tokens offer flexibility. Large corporations often benefit from special agreements, reducing ongoing costs, but overall, the licensing cost remains high, with individual licenses costing approximately $15,000.
  • "The licensing costs for the product are quite high."
  • "IBM DOORS is available at a reasonable price"
  • "I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten, with one being very affordable and ten being quite expensive."

Popular Use Cases

IBM DOORS is primarily used for managing requirements across various industries, including automotive, defense, and aerospace. Users apply it for capturing system and subsystem requirements, ensuring traceability, and supporting complex system designs. Organizations rely on it to gather, document, and link requirements, manage baselines, and integrate with tools like MagicDraw and Jenkins. It facilitates data migration, supports DevOps architectures, and helps in requirement engineering processes while maintaining compliance with standards.

Service and Support

IBM DOORS customer service quality fluctuated, especially during organizational changes, with improvements noted recently. While some found customer service approachable and responsive, others experienced slow responses and limited support for advanced features. Users appreciated technical support for being knowledgeable and resolving issues, although some expressed dissatisfaction with response times and accessibility. IBM's online resources and forums were helpful for many but lacked comprehensiveness for non-technical users. Consistent improvement was requested for efficiency and interactivity.

Deployment

Initial setup is generally straightforward for IBM DOORS. However, complexity arises with project-specific needs and when using integrations or customizations, which may require expertise in DXL scripting. Organizations without an institutionalized process may experience delays. Setting up documents and integrations is manageable, but large or complex deployments require skilled professionals. Documentation and technical support offer assistance. The process's complexity correlates with project demands and can range from simple to challenging based on specific requirements.

Scalability

IBM DOORS experiences varied scalability views. It can handle large user bases, supported by good design strategies. Some noted challenges with multi-site collaboration, database performance, and license constraints. Despite these, many users reported successful scaling across diverse locations, facilitated by virtual machines or remote access solutions. Licenses and network performance can limit scalability. Hardware speed influences efficiency, and some organizations need more project guidance and support. Despite scalability limitations, it adapts to growing organizational needs.

Stability

IBM DOORS is generally stable, though its performance can fluctuate depending on usage and environment variables. Users acknowledge its stability across versions but have noted occasional crashes with specific scripts or network issues. While the current version shows noticeable improvement, earlier versions had unresolved bugs. Many emphasize that any instability often relates to improper usage or customization rather than inherent flaws in IBM DOORS, rating its stability between six to ten out of ten.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
Download our IBM DOORS Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise32
By reviewers
By visitors reading reviews
Company SizeCount
Small Business290
Midsize Enterprise202
Large Enterprise877
By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
26%
Aerospace/Defense Firm
7%
Government
6%
Computer Software Company
6%
University
5%
Transportation Company
5%
Educational Organization
4%
Healthcare Company
4%
Comms Service Provider
4%
Construction Company
4%
Financial Services Firm
3%
Engineering Company
2%
Outsourcing Company
2%
Retailer
2%
Real Estate/Law Firm
2%
Non Profit
2%
Media Company
2%
Performing Arts
2%
Logistics Company
1%
Wholesaler/Distributor
1%
Recreational Facilities/Services Company
1%
Insurance Company
1%
Energy/Utilities Company
1%
Legal Firm
1%
Pharma/Biotech Company
1%
Consumer Goods Company
1%
Marketing Services Firm
1%
Hospitality Company
1%

Compare IBM DOORS with alternative products

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Learn more about IBM DOORS

IBM DOORS was previously known as Rational DOORS.

IBM DOORS customers

Infosys, Chevrolet Volt

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How would you compare IBM Rational DOORS with other Application Requirements Management solutions for IT projects?
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IBM DOORS Reviews Summary
Author infoRatingReview Summary
Software Manager at Forvia4.5I manage an on-premises IBM ALM toolchain that's customizable and supports A-SPICE compliance, with effective requirement tracking and useful reporting features, though code-level traceability could improve; overall, it's reduced manual effort and enhanced process efficiency.
Senior Consultant - Technical Expert at Capgemini2.5No summary available
Architect at itcinfotech3.5IBM DOORS is utilized for requirement management and integrates well with third-party tools, but its compatibility issues and bulkiness can be problematic. Despite valuable features like an ASPICE template, I wish for more web-based integrations similar to Codebeamer.
Managing Director at CCC Systems Engineering Suisse GmbH2.5No summary available
Senior Consultant Bip - Business Integration Partners at Business Integration Partners3.5In my experience with IBM DOORS, the tool supports DevOps adoption by enhancing project traceability and integrating with other IBM Rational tools. Its automation and traceability features are valuable, though its API and user experience need improvement.
Systems engineer at Expleogroup5.0We use IBM Rational DOORS for listing requirements, appreciating its powerful yet simple design with features like unique IDs for requirements. However, it lacks a user-friendly interface, especially when managing tables and images, prompting our switch from Excel.
Senior Integration System Engineer at NATS (En Route) Plc4.0I use IBM DOORS for integrating system design requirements into a single database, linking them with stakeholders. Its strengths include centralized tracking and clarity, but it suffers from low performance and lacks flexibility compared to newer tools like Jira.
Senior Software Development Engineer at eQ Technologic4.0I use IBM Rational DOORS for migrating and syncing data between systems. Its valuable features include effective data structuring and versioning. However, saving becomes slower as requirements increase, and unmodifiable absolute numbers pose challenges during data migration.