How to review software requirements

Make the world a better place. Send this to project stakeholders who need to read requirements.

Part 1 Your role

You are a ‘stakeholder’ to a project

But what is a stakeholder?

It simply means you have a ‘stake’ in what the project is trying to deliver.

The project might make your life easier

or harder

or make little or no difference.

Either way

you are a

stakeholder

and you have to

read

and understand

and agree to

A set of ‘requirements’

because your signature

means you understand

what has been written down

and that your particular needs

and priorities

have been included

sufficiently.

Part 2 What are requirements and why do we have them?

Requirements are a sort of contract

between you

and the project team.

You negotiate for what you need to be included.

They write it down.

You sign it.

It’s a contract.

At the end of the project

you can call them

on what they failed to deliver.

And they can point out

that they delivered to specifications.

It can be a bit of a problem.

I hope this presentation helps

make the problem smaller

or even disappear.

Requirements come in two main flavours.

Agile Traditional

They look something like this;

Requirements are the way we (project people)

articulate what you (business people)

… want to see out of a new software product.

to see out of

Requirements are not

typically what we want

to see in a software package.

to see in

You run a business unit.

You are not a software developer.

Don’t tell the software developer

that you want a particular feature

because

they’ll give it to you.

Instead…

tell them what outcome you want to achieve

and why it is important.

That way you’ll get

what you need.

Part 3 Reading requirements

(By the way, the secret to this is all in the preparation.)

Remember these?

Step 1

Put the document down.

Step 2

Grab a trusted colleague

and piece of paper

or some sticky notes

or a whiteboard

And write down your current KPIs

Now add the things you do that are (a) important, and (b) not in your KPIs

KPIs that are reported on Important things not in your KPIs KPI # 1 KPI # 2 KPI # 3 KPI # 4 Not KPI # 1 Not KPI # 2

KPIs that are reported on

Important things not in your KPIs

Step 3

Write down all the major problems you have with your business unit today

and attach them

to your list of KPIs and important things

KPI # 1 Staff retention KPI # 2 Quality KPI # 3 Financial KPI # 4 Accrued Leave Not KPI # 1 Happy Customers Not KPI # 2 Clean office Staying on Budget with unexpected events Staff attrition too high Customer satisfaction heading south Quality of service inconsistent John’s desk Jane and Lois’ leave is too high

Step 4

Drop your problems into an important / urgent prioritisation grid

Important + Not urgent Not important + Not urgent Important + Urgent Not important + Not urgent

Important + Not urgent Not important + Not urgent Important + Urgent Not important + Not urgent Staying on Budget with unexpected events Staff attrition too high Customer satisfaction heading south Quality of service inconsistent John’s desk Jane and Lois’ leave is too high

(Projects are expensive and complicated enough without loading up small-fry issues)

Only keep the important issues

Important + Not urgent Not important + Not urgent Important + Urgent Not important + Not urgent Staying on Budget with unexpected events Staff attrition too high Customer satisfaction heading south Quality of service inconsistent John’s desk Jane and Lois’ leave is too high

Step 5

Draw a circle

Write down a short description of the project’s goals in the circle

Solve world hunger

Now write your important problems and issues around the circle

Solve world hunger Staying on Budget with unexpected events Staff attrition too high Customer satisfaction heading south Quality of service inconsistent

Link up the project’s goals with your problem areas

With a description of how the project should be helping

Customers are fed Funding is adjusted to accommodate new costs Staying on Budget with unexpected events Staff attrition too high Customer satisfaction heading south Quality of service inconsistent Solve world hunger Staff want to help

Projects won’t connect with all your problems

Solve world hunger Staying on Budget Staff attrition Customer satisfaction Quality of service Staff want to help Customers are fed Funding is adjusted to accommodate new costs ?

(That’s a good thing)

(Overly large projects are too complex and usually fail)

Step 6

Take your KPIs and other important responsibilities

&

take the links

between the project’s goals and your problems

and

Make them headings

Staff want to help Customers are fed Funding is adjusted to accommodate new costs KPI # 1 KPI # 2 KPI # 3 KPI # 4 Not KPI # 1 Not KPI # 2

Give them a shorthand code

Staff want to help Customers are fed Funding is adjusted to accommodate new costs KPI # 1 KPI # 2 KPI # 3 KPI # 4 Not KPI # 1 Not KPI # 2 A B C D E F G H I

Now you are ready

to read those requirements

and assess

how the project will affect you

and your business unit.

Let’s revisit those steps:

Put aside the requirements Focus on your key objectives Identify your key problem areas Prioritize your problems Identify the links between the project goals and your problems Set up a code to track requirements against what’s important to you

Put aside the requirements

Focus on your key objectives

Identify your key problem areas

Prioritize your problems

Identify the links between the project goals and your problems

Set up a code to track requirements against what’s important to you

Step 7

Read each requirement statement

At the end of each statement

Attach the code for each problem or goal you have

And then rate the requirement

on it’s ability to affect you

(good or bad)

When you complete the document you’ll have notes

On everything that is relevant to you

And you’ll also have

Lot’s of requirements statements

that have no relevance to you

Now you can focus

on what is important.

And you can see

how the project’s requirements

will affect you.

There is one last thing.

Step 8

Go back to your diagram

that links the project

to your goals and problems.

Solve world hunger Staff want to help Customers are fed Funding is adjusted to accommodate new costs Staying on Budget with unexpected events Staff attrition too high Customer satisfaction heading south Quality of service inconsistent

Which one of these issues

have been left out of the document?

Do they matter?

If they do, it’s time to write up a list…

and send it to the project team.

I hope this is helpful.

We’d love your feedback. (comments below)

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