I have recently changed employers and am now working in a PMO within a Financial Services organization. I've been working with my management on some internal process improvement, and we recently have been evaluating the Bus Req gathering performed by the Bus Analysts as well as the PMs. I've been asked to do some research into the development of not only the Bus Req gathering process but also tool sets and training. The concern is that not all involved understand how to properly gather requirements, nor the right questions to ask.
I've spent some time searching the web for some material, but felt it may be better to post this question in a forum such as this.
Everyone involved understands why reqs are needed, however they don't necessarily understand the best way to do it. I'm looking to put together a documented process, with training and tools (such as templates) to solidify our current environment. Saving Changes...
Prabhas SinhaDirector - Product Management| CAHyderabad, India
I can send you one such templates that I have used in the past. Pls give your email address.
As far as Tools are concerned, I think Telelogic is the market leader in this area. There are other integrated tools like the ones from IBM, Borland,Rally Software, Digite etc. Saving Changes...
I've attached templates that I have found in the past. Perhaps they will help. Two classes that I have taken in the past and found extremely useful are Matering the Requirements Process by Suzanne and James Robertson (they have a book as well as offer classes) at http://www.systemsguild.com/index.html and ESI International at www.esi-intl.com - They offer a certificate in Business Requirements that may get your team of analysts enthused about being analysts... They can also come in and customize some classes for you on site.
Please let me know if you have any questions on the templates. One last thing I have to point out is that templates are not silver bullets. The analyst has to understand WHY they are gathering requirements and the entire SDLC process in order to be truly effective. Something that was very useful for me was a project where not only did I have to write the requirements, I also had to write the test cases that were executed by someone else. This was helpful in that I could not be ambigious - the tester was not going to know all the background content I did, so I had to make sure it came through in the test cases. Once I did that, my requirements documentation became much better on future projects.
I just went to attach all the documents and realized this posting system only allows you to post one file... I'll email all to you.
Something else that I wanted to mention in reply to Prabhas' post. I think there are some great tools out there that can help companys. However, from past experience, it is better overall for the analysts to understand how to gather and document requirements the old fashion way if you will. I liken it to learning addition, subtraction, multiplication and division first and then learning how to use a calculator. If you do not understand how to gather and document requirements, no system is really going to be able to help. Past experience has shown me that installing requirements applications have actually hindered the company overall. One example was where management thought if we installed the Rational suite it would solve all of our problems. Well, it is a great tool and I personally loved working with it but the implementation was horrible! Because not enough people understood the process of gathering, documenting, tracing and testing requirements, the implementation and training was horrible. It made most of the IT and business departments HATE the software process and think gathering requirements was a waste of time.
Bethany, I would agree with you. That is why I am looking for more than just templates, but rather am trying to build a "training" cirriculum with templates to teach the proper methods. Tools would be secondary in the process. Thanks for the thoughts. Saving Changes...
Prabhas SinhaDirector - Product Management| CAHyderabad, India
Bethany,
You have a very valid point there and I second that thought. Sometimes those 2 cents of thoughts are worth million dollars :-).
No tool can help if there has not been a meticulous implementation and training plan. Nevertheless, without a tool you work the same thing again 'n' again, many of which can be automated and repeated from project to project. The successful practices and knowledge gained is seldom institutionalized without a tool.
Saving Changes...
I see where one young boy has just passed 500 hours sitting in a treetop. There is a good deal of discussion as to what to do with a civilization that produces prodigies like that. Wouldn't it be a good idea to take his ladder away from him and leave him up there?
