How to Gather, Analyze, and Define Business System Requirements

1. Introduction

• Requirements Definition
• Analysis of Business System Analysis
• The Uncertainty Principle
• When Are You Done; the Fate Chart
• Open Items (Questions) List
• A Problem with Language
• The Three C’s of Requirements Definition

2. Information Gathering (Capturing) Techniques

• Stakeholders
• Evaluating a Management Vision Statement
• Interviewing
•   Characteristics of a Good Interviewer
•   Interview Steps, Types and Options
• Interviewing by Email
• Survey Technique
• Observing
•   Analysis by Walking Around
• Workshop Sessions
•   The Need for Speed
• Ten Critical Requirements Questions
• The Pros and Cons of Prototyping for Requirements
• Business Events
•   Event Naming Conventions
•   Finding Events
•   Using Scope
•   Response Naming Conventions
•   Triggers

3. Clarify (Understand) a Requirement

• The Problem with Language
• Requirement Phrases
• Rule 1 Be Simple and Complete Sentences
• Rule 2 Emphasize “What” not “How”
• Rule 3 Be Relevant, Unambiguous, and Clear
• Rule 4 Be Understood by Knowledge Peers
• Rule 5 Be Objectively Measurable
•   Requirements Testability
•   The Four Components (Types) of Requirements
•   Components and the Critical Ten Questions
•   Finding and Testing Components
•     Functional (Process and Data)
•     Business Rules and Constraints
•     Performance (Quantitative vs Qualitative) Requirements
•     Subjective
• Decomposing Requirements to Components

4. Requirements in Groups

•   Rule 8 Be Prioritized with other Requirements
• Grouping Requirements and
•   Decomposing Groups of Requirements
•   Combining Requirements
• Detailed Clarification
• A Set of Requirements Should:
•   Rule 6 Not Conflict with other Requirements
•   Rule 7 Refer to (Use) Validated Business Rules
•     Rules vs Requirements
•     The Rules Challenge
•     Relationship of Rules
•     Analyzing Related Business Rules

5. Confirming Requirements

• Rule 9 Be Part of a Complete Set of Requirements
•   Quantitative and Qualitative Requirements
•   Constraining and Subjective Requirements
•   Requirements/Problem Matrix
•   Requirements Focus
•   The Question File
• Confirming Feasibility
• Identifying High Risk Requirements
• PASS, a Check List
• Templates
• Requirements Management Tools
• Payback
• Writing “Good” Requirements Rules Summary
• Exercise, the Power of Three
• Closing

6. Appendices

• Case Study (parts to be used as samples and examples)
• Helpful Pages
• Requirements Taxonomy
• Templates
•   Requirements Definition Documents
• JAD White Paper

3 days

Business System Analysts
Requirement Managers
System Analysts
Business Process Users
Business Process Managers
Business Analysts
Subject Matter Experts
User Liaison Personnel
Anyone involved in defining or deciphering business system requirements.

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Our instructors have extensive experience in applying these techniques on projects with business experts from a wide variety of fields.