Requirements Definition Techniques for Subject Matter Experts

Subject matter experts (SMEs) are smack in the middle of the critical path on any information technology project. Their decisions and input become the business and stakeholder requirements for the project. Solution and transition requirements are derived directly from their contributions. Without good SME input, your projects can easily get off track or ultimately fail. Yet, this group is all too often totally ignored when it comes to training in how they can improve their contributions.

This 1-day course introduces SMEs to the process of requirements gathering in which they will be heavily involved. It defines their role as well as the role of the business analyst and others in the process. The course presents a set of rules for writing more effective business requirements to improve the communication between the business community and the information technology experts. There are no prerequisites and anyone who contributes requirements to the project will benefit.

1. Requirements Elicitation Defined

Who Needs Requirements, Anyway?

The Fate Chart

A Question File

Exercise: A Problem with Language

Exercise: Initial Requirement Statements

2. Understanding the Requirements Process

Who Do You Talk to about What?

Identifying Stakeholders

Using an Org chart

Exercise: Stakeholder Identification

Document Analysis

System Vision

WasteTheWaist “Vision Statement” from CEO

Exercise: From Vision to Requirement Statements

Vision Statement Evaluation

Exercise: Structured Vision Statement

Problem Definition

Defining the Real Problem

Exercise: Problem Identification

Aristotelian Problem/Symptom Reduction

Rewriting a Problem Statement

Getting Written Problem Statements

Exercise: Aristotelian Problem Symptom Reduction

Exercise (cont.): Problem Statements

From Problems to Requirements

Exercise: Getting Requirements from Problems

Requirements Elicitation Critical Questions

Critical Questions

Applying the 10 Critical Questions

3. Writing Effective Requirements

Writing Effective Business Requirements

The Problem with Natural Language Requirements

Creating Requirement Statements

Business System Requirements

Rules for a “Good” Requirement Sentence

Reducing Complexity Increases Comprehension

A Complete Sentence Forces a Complete Thought

Structured Requirement Statements

Example: Creating Complete Sentence Requirements

Rules for a “Good” Requirement Sentence

Think “What”, Not “How”

Example: Finding the What versus the How

Rules Review

Exercise: Applying the Rules

Removing Requirements Ambiguity

Rules for an “Understandable” Requirement Sentence

Relevance Increases Comprehension

Ambiguity Ruins Requirements

Increasing Understandability

Rules for a “Good” Requirement Sentence

Peer Reviews Clarify Requirements

Clarifying Mutual Understanding

Revise, Define and Clarify Your Requirements

Exercise: Desk-Checking

Verifying Understandability

Rules Review

Clarifying Requirements

Writing Measurable Requirement Statements

Rules for a “Testable” Requirement Sentence

To Test or Not to Test is NOT the Question

Requirements Testability

Effective Requirements are Verifiable or Testable

Decomposing Requirements

Components of Requirements

Exercise: Requirements Types

Requirement Subtypes vs the 10 Critical Questions

Testing Requirement Components

Finding Functional Requirements

Testing Functional Components

Exercise: Testing the Functional Components

Finding Rules and Constraining Requirements

Testing Rule and Constraint Components

Exercise: Testing Rule and Constraint Components

Finding Performance Requirements

Exercise: Resolving Subjective Components

Exercise: Decomposing a Requirement

Purpose of Requirements Decomposition

Confirming Business Requirements

Rules for “Effective” Sets of Requirements

Confirming Feasibilities

Identifying High Risk Requirements

PASS = Project Audit Support Services

Exercise: Verifying Requirements Completeness

4. Finishing the Job

Clarifying Business Requirements

Exercise: Grouping Requirements

Combining Requirements

Detailed Clarification

Rules for “Effective” Sets of Requirements

Identifying Inconsistent Requirements

Exercise: Identifying Inconsistent Requirements

Rules for “Effective” Sets of Requirements

Of Rules and Requirements

Business Rules Are

Rules vs. Requirements

Rules Relationships

The Rules Challenge

Exercise: Testing Rules

• Manage questions and open items lists
• Identify the value of good requirements
• Evaluate a management vision statement
• Write business requirements that solve business problems
• Use 10 critical requirements questions to guide the requirements capture process
• Apply the five rules of a "good" requirement sentence
• Translate business needs into well-structured business requirement statements
• Write business requirements that express the what and avoid the how
• Discuss the problem with language based requirements
• Verify the "testability" of a requirement
• Decompose requirements into the major types of requirements and their subtypes
• Further clarify business rules, performance and constraining requirements
• Use a standard readability index to improve understanding
• Choose risk reduction alternatives for high-risk requirements
• Evaluate the completeness of requirements
• Categorize requirements based on focus
• Create a requirement/problem matrix to confirm requirements completeness
• Confirm (determine relative importance and feasibility) of requirements
• Apply the four rules for managing a group of requirements

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We do not currently have a public offering of this class scheduled. To add your name to the waiting list or request alternate offers, please contact us.
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