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New Post 1/17/2008 8:42 PM
User is offline sonavi
37 posts
9th Level Poster


Requirements gathering 

Hi all

I am pretty new to this forum. i am planning to join as a Business Analyst and was wondering if anyone can help me . My basic question is how do you gather the requirements . Is there a standard procedure which i can follow. I have read in few forums about gathering requriements like interviewing, questionnaire, face to face meetings, net meetings etc. but is there a standard or good approach for gathering requirements. Lets say I have a new assignment which requires me to go and meet the client and i have only 4 weeks of time for gathering requirements as much as i can. so what should be my approach in gathering requirments so that i have complete information about the project. and if i have been appointed as a Sr. business analyst then i will also have to teach my team what steps they should take after i leave for gathering as much information. what will be my approach? I would really appreicate if anyone can help me.

 

Thanks

sonavi

 

 
New Post 1/17/2008 9:45 PM
User is offline Craig Brown
560 posts
www.betterprojects.net
4th Level Poster




Re: Requirements gathering 

Once you have done the background reading and been briefed by the project manager and sponsor, identify who you need to speak with.  Busines stakeholders forst, but don't forget technical stakeholders such as security, infrastructure etc. 

At each contact remember to ask if there is anyone else you should be talking to.

 
New Post 1/18/2008 8:16 AM
User is offline sonavi
37 posts
9th Level Poster


Re: Requirements gathering 

Hi Criag,

 

Thank you for your reply, but can you please give me more detail description as to what procedure should i follow. I mean this is just knowing who all are the important people with whom i should speak. but is there anythign else i need to do apart from meeting and talking to stakeholders, sme's and technical stakeholders. I also asked a second question like if i was appointed as a Sr.Business Analyst and i have to teach my team how to proceed after i leave from there so what would be my approach how would i make my team understand as to what the client needs.

 

Thanks

-Sonavi

 
New Post 1/18/2008 2:23 PM
User is offline Craig Brown
560 posts
www.betterprojects.net
4th Level Poster




Re: Requirements gathering 
Modified By Craig Brown  on 1/18/2008 5:24:56 PM)

Hello Sonavi

You are asking a pretty big question: how do I start and make sure I go down the right path, and how do I make sure that if I leave half way through others can complete the work with minimal impact to the project.

Let me have a go at answering your question.

Firstly there are whole frameworks about how to do BA work and manage requirements effectively. I have listed some of them in a blog post here. The IIBA BOK is the main one we speak about and recommend here.

It’s the weekend so I recommend printing out the IIBA’s BOK and reading through it. It gives a framework for dealing with requirements management from beginning to end. 

I think that one of the best things in the BABOK is it’ focus on planning. By planning your requirements management project you are les likely to miss things. Know who you need to talk to, what the key issues and risks will be in advance and know early how the requirements will be verified and validated. 

For verification you’ll also plan review activities and workshops so you are sure that the stakeholders know what they have asked for and the development team know what is wanted. 

Something to consider which is highly useful is getting a peer review of your requirement specs. They will read it for clarity, completeness and accuracy. Take care with this activity because done well it will vastly improve the quality of the project. Make sure the peer you pick is experienced and has the time to spend on reading and understanding the documentation.

By validated I don’t just mean testing, I also mean that the client/sponsor will accept what you team has delivered and will walk away from the project satisfied.

Subscribe at Better Projects and I’ll write something more about these two activities in the next few weeks.

As for making sure others can follow up on the work you begin, there are schools of thought on this. My view is that good documentation will be enough to get through, but that you can’t beat working as part of a two person team right through the project. If you have two Bas make sure you each know what the other is doing. 

If you don’t have a back-up BA, then make sure the Test lead, Development lead or some other person who caries responsibility for successful outcomes is well versed in your plan and the content of your work.

I hope this helps you.

Craig
 
New Post 1/18/2008 3:16 PM
User is offline sonavi
37 posts
9th Level Poster


Re: Requirements gathering 

Hello Craig,

Thank you so much for answering my questions. I will definitely go through the book this weekend and if I have any more doubts i will ask you.

Have a great weekend

 

Thanks

-Sonavi

 

 
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