This year's Business Analysis Benchmark report has been published, a survey on the impact of  mature requirements management. I always find it a good read, and not just because I know the author. It really backs up what BAs everywhere are trying to tell their management: Requirements Matter.

Here are some bits that jumped out at me, statements that some may find surprising but are backed up by survey results:

"Requirements maturity may be more important than any other single factor in the determination of overall development effectiveness."

"The notion that the business can produce requirements on its own in the absence of mature requirements definition and management competency is absurd; it is akin to a CFO attempting to prepare financial reports in the absence of knowing Generally Accepted Accounting Principles."

"Poor Requirements Definition and Management wastes 34% of the average organization’s IT Budget."

"Agile, Waterfall, Iterative, Prototyping/Visualization have immaterial performance differences for any given level of requirements definition and management maturity. ... the overall level of requirements maturity has a MUCH greater effect on project outcome than the development method selected."

Like I said: Requirements Matter. To get the report yourself, go to  www.iag.biz/benchmark

When you have a look at the report, come back and we can get a discussion going...