Can anyone please help me through the process of writing a System's Requirement when the business users, through other Analysts, have already come up with a validated User Requirements. The User Requirement List would be very succint and generic. For example, add one "xyz" tab in the "HomePage" wizard and Delete "abc" tab from the same wizard. Meaning that the users want to add a new tab functionality in the wizard whereas they also want to get rid of an existing one. How does writing a System's Requirement on this particular functionality occur. Because I would assume adding a new tab mean pulling out some data from their servers and deleting a tab would incorporate similar impact in terms of interaction with their database. My inquisition is regarding how do we go about finding detailed impact in terms of system functionality, is there a preliminary system's requirement gathering session with the business? As business would not know anything about the system or its process would having a system's requirement gathering session with the business serve any purpose. Please advise. Thanks!
Hi
From your description I assume there is already Software/System Requirement Specification (SRS) document. The SRS shall describe system/software capabilities to handle the perspective business processess. Usually before a project/analysis phase started I should collect "User requirement list" directly from business owner. It should be a list containing what the user wants or demands from the system or software from their business perspective. For example:
1. I (user) want the system has capablity to issue a balance report based on monthly, quaterly and yearly.
2. I (user) want the system has capability to update Chart of Account (COA).
Hi:
I suggest changing you basic approach. You are thinking technical solution: Tab, Homepage, Wizard. Instead find out what the business users want irregardless of any implementation considerations. Also, always keep in mind that the real challenge is not in understanding the business requirements, but in understanding the essential interrelationships between required processes.
Tony
It sounds as if the business has not supplied you with their business needs. They have told you what parts of the current system to add an remove. That activity should be done by the developers after assessing the business requirements against the impact of the system architecture and detailed design. I would not accept the set of requirements and would have the business reconduct a proper business analysis activity to supply the business requirements, user stories, business rules and use cases for the business activity that needs to be implemented or changed.
Sorry I couldn’t keep up with the forum recently. But I am glad I joined this because suggestions coming in are very resourceful and informative. I will be more than happy to share my own experiences and get some insight on how to go about being better in the process. Tony’s suggestion to change my approach has been invaluable. Rather than looking at the requirement in terms of what tab needs to be changed or which table will be reflected in what way – I have now started looking at how that particular enhancement need has a direct effect in business’s process of interacting with the system. For example how a particular business rule has an impact on the way user interacts with the system and how a change in that business rule will affect the interaction a user has with the system. Once I start looking into those factors it becomes a lot easier to see how system should behave in a certain way so that the user requirement is achieved in the design.
NeoSure Dolma - System's Analyst
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