catalyze webcast - finding requirements - 092007

Copyright Advanced Concepts Center, LLC. 2006. All rights including trade secret rights reserved.

1-1SEM1_1.0

Hidden Requirements

10 Tips to Ensure You Find Them

Carol Miller

Copyright Advanced Concepts Center, LLC. 2006. All rights including trade secret rights reserved.SEM1_1.0

1-2

Introductions

• Where are you participating from?

• What’s your Job role?


1-3

Finding Requirements

At the end of today’s session, you should:

• Have a better understanding of the challenges associated with requirements elicitation

• Understand that planning is critical to the success of elicitation

• Be able to identify at least one technique that is worthwhile apply to your next project


1-4

Requirements Elicitation

The process, tools, and techniques used to actively obtain information from stakeholders regarding their view of the requirements

The process, tools, and techniques used to actively obtain information from stakeholders regarding their view of the requirements

Source: IIBA - A Guide to the BA Body of Knowledge v1.6

If only it was this easy!

To Elicit:

1. to draw forth or bring out

(something latent or potential)

2. to call forth or draw out

(as information or a response)Source: Merriam Webster


1-5

Elicitation Challenges

• The Stakeholder

• Lack of a Framework

• Scope Definition and Scope Management

• No training in Elicitation techniques or supporting skills

• Unrealistic constraints (schedule, scope)

• The BA Ego


1-6

The Jungle

Can You Find?

Functional Requirements

BusinessRequirements

Quality of ServiceRequirements

ImplementationRequirements

UserRequirements


1-7

Tips for Staying Alive in the Jungle

• Get to know the other people in your group and study the wildlife and plant life you may encounter

• Carefully plan your excursion. Make sure you consider your personal limitations. Talk to others who have been on similar excursions.

• Prepare for dangerous encounters

• Stay in close communication – Buddy up

• Learn to build a fire and other critical skills before your excursion departs

• Bring the right tools and know how, and when, to use them

• Stay on the path

• Travel with speed and efficiency

• Know when you’ve reached your limit.

• Ask questions and admit when you need help


1-8

Elicitation Tip #1

• Put in the effort to really “know” your stakeholders

A Stakeholder is anyone who:

• Could affect your project

• Is part of your project team

• Could be affected by your project

Needs and Expectations

OfStakeholders

Scope and Quality

Tim

e Cost

Identify Analyze Prioritize

Jungle Tip: Get to know the other people in your group and study the

wildlife and plant life you may encounter


1-9

Stakeholder Identification

• Consider those that:

– Use the system

– Pay for the system

– Direct/manage the system

– Build the system

– Are replaced by the system

– Regulate the system

– Count on the system

– Are impacted by the system

Are you using a stakeholder checklist?

Do you have a template for your stakeholder inventory and analysis?


1-10

Stakeholder Template

Stakeholder Information and Analysis

Stakeholder Role Name Interest Influence Commitment Level (HML)

Current Desired

Examples of Interest: Examples of Influence:

Supporter Controls funding

Champion Charismatic leader

Spokesperson Has ear of decision maker

Frequent user Information keeper (information is power)

Casual user Decision maker

Infrequent user

SME


1-11

Analyzing Stakeholders

• What problems do they have that need to be solved?

• What are their success criteria?

• What financial or emotional interests do they have in the project?

• What motivates them?

• What obstacles or constraints do they foresee that may threaten the project?

• What information do they want from you?

• Who influences their opinions?Do you have an analysis question

list?

Do you have a template for stakeholder inventory and analysis?


1-12

Prioritizing Stakeholders

Engage early,

Keep informed periodically

Critical Stakeholders

Engage early,

Manage closely

Monitor Keep informed

Influence

High

Low

HighInterestLow

ACC

review


1-13

• Establish a plan and a framework that supports elicitation success

Elicitation Tip #2

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up someplace else”

Planning is a Critical Success FactorPlanning is a Critical Success Factor

• Know your process (including your responsibilities)

• Know your team

• Research company and industry best practices

Jungle Tip: Carefully plan your excursion. Make sure you consider your personal limitations. Talk to others who have been on similar

excursions.


1-14

A Requirements Framework

Knowledge Area

Tasks

Deliverables

Requirements Communication and Management

Training

Enterprise Analysis

Quality Assurance

Techniques

Guidelines, standards, reviews and inspections

Requirements Planning

RequirementsElicitation

Reqm’ts Analysis &

Documentation

Solution Assessment

and Validation


1-15

A Requirements Elicitation Approach

Identify, Analyze, andDocument

Stakeholders

Choose ElicitationTechnique(s)

Develop Questions for Each Chosen Stakeholder

For Each Stakeholder or Group of Stakeholders

Entry Criteria:Do You

Understand Project Objectives

and Scope?

Plan Session, Develop & Send Materials

Conduct the Elicitation Session Document the

Stakeholder Requests

Exit Criteria:Questions Answered?

Requirements

Analysis and

Documentation

Create/Update theGlossary of Terms

ACC

review


1-16

Which Requirements Are You Eliciting?

Business Requirement

s

Functional Requiremen

ts

Quality of Service

Requirements

Constraints Assumptions

Problem Space Solution Space

What is the Scope of Your Responsibility?

ACC

review


1-17

• Be prepared for Typical Stakeholders Issues

Elicitation Tip #3

The Know-it-all Clueless Tired and Tuned Out Overbooked

Uninterested The Overzealous TeamThe Meeting DominatorQuiet

Jungle Tip: Prepare for dangerous encounters


1-18

Typical Stakeholder Issues

• Expectations:• Stakeholder has expectations which are higher/lower/different than “reality• Stakeholder doesn’t understand the objectives of the project• Conflicting needs of multiple stakeholders

• Gathering Session Issues:• Stakeholder dominates a meeting• Stakeholder has not received enough information about the project so they can’t provide the information being requested• Stakeholder can only express their requirements in terms of the current system functionality• Stakeholder sends a delegate to the meeting who might not be the “right” person• Stakeholder doesn’t know the BA and may not understand the BA’s role on the project• Stakeholder feels threatened and doesn’t want to give away their knowledge (perceived job security)

• Commitment Issues:• Stakeholder has not done their requested/required homework before coming to a meeting• Stakeholder feels annoyed about participating in yet another time consuming project• Stakeholder feels annoyed about participating in yet another useless or unsuccessful project• Stakeholder doesn’t care about the project• Stakeholder doesn’t see the benefit of the project• Stakeholder doesn’t see his/her role on the project• Stakeholder current job is being replaced by system and are unwilling to participate

• General:• Requests that change from meeting to meeting• Lack of involvement by the right people• Late involvement of the right people• Resistance to change• Scope creep

Develop your own list.

Share your list and examples of success with other BAs.


1-19

Elicitation Tip #4

• Build Rapport and keep your stakeholders informed

Get to know your stakeholders and build business relationships

Building trust and respect are essential elements

Jungle Tip: Stay in close communication

– Buddy up


1-20

Identify your Stakeholder VIP’s

I’m the “subject matter expert”.

I’m well-respected, I know many

important details, and I have lots of

specific experience. You

need me!

I’m the “champion”. I may not know all the details, but I really like what

you’re doing. I am influential and can

convince people why they should like it too. You need me!

I don’t necessarily ‘do’ the work around here, but I know lots

of people in the organization, and

can put you in touch with just the right

one. You need me!

Maven Salesperson Connector


1-21

Elicitation Tip #5

• Seek out information/training on facilitation skills

The role of the facilitator

• Help the group to achieve consensus

• Manage the group dynamics

• Keep the group on track to achieve its objectives

• Encourage the participation of all, while avoiding the dominance of a few

• Manage the behavior of individual participants

Jungle Tip: Learn to build a fire and other critical skills before your

excursion departs


1-22

Don’t be the Problem

• The facilitator is in a powerful position

– Facilitate, don’t manipulate

– Listen, and solicit feedback!

– Watch body language, yours and theirs


1-23

Elicitation Tip #6

• Fill your toolbox with a variety of elicitation tools.

• Know the techniques

• Know which work best for a given type of stakeholder

• Know which work best for the requirement type you are eliciting

• Don’t be afraid to use them in combinations

Jungle Tip: Bring the right tools and know how, and when, to use

them


1-24

Requirements Elicitation Techniques

• Brainstorming

• Document Analysis

• Focus Group

• Interface Analysis

• Interviewing

• Observation

• Prototyping

• Questionnaires and Surveys

• Facilitated Sessions/Requirements Workshops

• Reverse EngineeringSource: IIBA: A Guide to the BA Body of Knowledge v1.6


1-25

What and Why - Interviewing

• Why: To collect general information that only this stakeholder can provide. To build a relationship.

• Who: One-on-one

• What: High level requirements, business objectives, business issues, as-is or to-be business process, to identify sources of other requirements

• Where: Stakeholder’s office, sometimes phone or web meeting

• How: Prepare question list, use open and closed ended questions, use active listening

Weaknesses:

• Structure may lead to missed information

• Quality depends on the skills of both the interviewer and interviewee

• Can be time consuming and not good for achieving consensus


1-26

Elicitation Tips #7 & #8

• Define scope collaboratively. Manage scope aggressively

• Always be aware of the grey area between analysis and design

Jungle Tip: Stay on the path

ACC

review


1-27

Context Diagram

• A context diagram is a “top-level” graphical representation of the system and its interfaces with the actors

– a visual modeling technique you can use to help define and communicate the scope and the boundary of the system

AutomaticTeller Machine

System

ATMPatron

Bank

Courier

Brinks

Thief

ATMTechnician

ACC

updated instructor notes


1-28

Example: ATM Context Diagram«keypad»identityaccountamount

ATMPatron

BankEmployee

BankManager

BankTeller

Courier

ATMTechnician

NightlyBackup

«display»balancestatus

«printer»receipt

«router»atm id

patron infoaccountamount

atm status

ATM System«actor»

Bank«router»

patron statusaccount balanceterminal status


1-29

The Grey Area

• Gather the what’s, not the how’s

• Utilize your technical SMEs to help you identify design ideas that might be hard for your stakeholders to resist

• Work with your stakeholders to sketch out the line

– tell them why it’s important to focus on the requirements before the solution,

– ask them to be patient…. design will come

– Let them know when they are stepping over the line

– Don’t rule out stepping over the line when there is a compelling reason

• Be consistent


1-30

Elicitation Tip #9

• Establish and monitor exit criteria – How do you know when you’re done?

Jungle Tip: Know when you’ve reached your limit.

Avoid analysis paralysis


1-31

A Requirements Elicitation Approach

Identify, Analyze, andDocument

Stakeholders

Choose ElicitationTechnique(s)

Develop Questions for Each Chosen Stakeholder

For Each Stakeholder or Group of Stakeholders

Entry Criteria:Do You

Understand Project Objectives

and Scope?

Plan Session, Develop & Send Materials

Conduct the Elicitation Session Document the

Stakeholder Requests

Exit Criteria:Questions Answered?

Requirements

Analysis and

Documentation

Create/Update theGlossary of Terms

ACC

review


1-32

Elicitation Tip #10

• Lose the Ego – Ask Questions

Jungle Tip: Ask questions and admit when you need help


1-33

Ten Tips for Requirements Elicitation

1. Put in the effort required to really “know” your stakeholders

2. Establish a plan and a framework that supports elicitation success

3. Plan for how you will deal with typical stakeholder issues

4. Build rapport and keep your stakeholders informed

5. Seek out information and training on facilitation techniques

6. Fill your toolbox with a variety of elicitation techniques

7. Define scope collaboratively. Manage scope aggressively

8. Always be aware of the grey area between analysis and design

9. Establish and monitor exit criteria – how do you know when you are done?

10. Lose the ego!

Copyright Advanced Concepts Center, LLC. 2006. All rights including trade secret rights reserved.

1-34SEM1_1.0

Questions?

Thanks for Attending!

Carol Miller

[email protected]

www.acclearning.com

catalyze webcast - finding requirements - 092007

Technology

requirements source

inspections requirements

hidden requirements

elicitation techniques

success of elicitation

stakeholder inventory

stakeholder lack

stakeholder checklist