IBM DOORS Reviews

Vendor: IBM

4.0 out of 5

55 reviews
88% willing to recommend

861 followers

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 67% 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.

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Featured IBM DOORS reviews

SHRINIVAS ALAGERI

Architect at itcinfotech

IBM DOORS effectively synchronizes with Polarion. But suppose when Polarion is running on Linux and you want to integrate with IBM DOORS on Windows, that is when compatibility issues arise. For the aforementioned issue we often receive advise in our company to migrate Polarion to Windows before integration. IBM DOORS is a heavy-duty application compared to competitors such as PTC Integrity. Exporting an IBM DOORS module is highly time-consuming for its bulkiness. PTC Integrity is a lighter solution that allows the development of a gateway template. It's crucial to consider the use cases and the other vendors that need to be integrated before using IBM DOORS. Our company is a PTC competence center, so most of our customers are from PTC. The customer integrations our company deals with include modeling tools such as Simulink, MATLAB, and Integrity Modeler to synchronize documents. The digital threat maintenance between IOD and Windchill is also a crucial part of our organization's operations. The solution should be more compatible with thin clients, there should be focus on web-based clients who can be more effective in IBM DOORS. At our company, we don't want every customer to use the thick client format with the solution. I would like to witness the seamless integration of IBM DOORS with Windchill in the future version. The integrations in IBM DOORS should be web-based, I don't prefer to use multiple plug-ins. For example, I want to integrate IBM DOORS with MATLAB, Simulink and Jenkins effortlessly which is possible in Codebeamer. I want every feature of Codebeamer to be present in IBM DOORS in the future releases.

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UweSeufert

Senior Consultant - Technical Expert at Capgemini

I use IBM DOORS because my customer wants it for managing their requirements IBM DOORS is a tool from the 20th century. It is very old but capable of storing, organizing, and exchanging requirements. It helps to manage requirements efficiently, which significantly improves the way requirements…

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Juergen Albrecht

Managing Director at CCC Systems Engineering Suisse GmbH

I really enjoyed the API. I developed many applications on DOORS Classic. I received the silver and platinum medals from IBM for some test management features and the DOORS exchange tool. However, not frequently. In developing and programming, I figured out that IBM's intellectual competence was not as satisfactory compared to Telelogic times. I recommend Classic DOORS to my clients as it is a safe and simple tool. However, many of my customers find it complicated, especially due to the auto-updating and undocumented changes by scripting inside the source code. The service during Telelogic times was much better than when IBM took over.

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IBM DOORS mindshare

As of July 2025, the mindshare of IBM DOORS in the Application Requirements Management category stands at 32.5%, down from 35.0% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Requirements Management

PeerResearch reports based on IBM DOORS reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Application Requirements Management	Jul 1, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jul 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	IBM DOORS vs Jira	Jul 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	IBM DOORS vs Polarion Requirements	Jul 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	IBM DOORS vs Jama Connect	Jul 1, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Jira	4.1	15.4%	91%	274 interviews Add to research
Jama Connect	3.8	16.1%	93%	15 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

"It helps to manage requirements efficiently, which significantly improves the way requirements are managed."
"I really enjoyed the API."
"The platform's traceability capabilities are invaluable. They provide a solid foundation for certification processes and manage requirement changes across project lifecycles."

Room for Improvement

"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

IBM DOORS provides a significant return, especially on large projects by improving requirement management accuracy and meeting customer demands efficiently. Firms benefit from time and financial savings, though quantifying returns is complex. Long-term users witness substantial revenue from products initiated with IBM DOORS. It enables consistent processes across projects and identifies orphan requirements early. While some see its complexity as a challenge, others appreciate its historical stability in handling requirements despite it being cost-intensive.

Pricing

IBM DOORS pricing is considered high, especially for enterprises with multiple users. Small teams may find node-locked licenses cost-effective, while larger teams benefit from flexible licensing. High costs include development, schema design, training, and support. Floating licenses and tokens are recommended for resource management. Discounts are available for large companies under special agreements. It's essential to carefully choose the appropriate licensing model to manage expenses while utilizing the software's functionality effectively.

"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."

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.