This document summarizes a presentation on requirements gathering. It discusses common problems business analysts face like resistance to sharing information and changing requirements. It also outlines why some projects fail, often due to poor requirements that lack a process orientation or understanding of how users define wants. The presentation recommends strategies like using templates and workshops to involve all departments. It emphasizes that each project is different and lessons learned include negotiating with stakeholders, conducting one-on-one interviews, and getting support from project managers.
All of us must have heard this proverb umpteen number of times in our lives. However, when it comes to elicitation, we tend to forget the same.Elicitation is possibly the most important job we business analysts do. I am surprised that many of us understand only few facets of elicitation such as requirements gathering and recording.Elicitation is much more than requirements gathering and recording. A good elicitation activity can significantly reduce effort in changes in requirements and subsequent changes to design, construction and testing activities.Here is an attempt to make our elicitation exercises more effective.
Business analyst interview questions and answersRobin G
Prepare better for your interview with this comprehensive set of 'Business Analyst Interview Questions and Answers'.
Courtesy : http://thebusinessanalystjobdescription.com
A summary of the IIBA BABOKv3 information to help prepare for the CBAP exam and as a general reference.
Details include:
1. Groups all of the Knowledge Area details together like Tasks/Elements + Additional info + Stakeholders + Inputs/Outputs CRUD + Techniques.
2. A 'Requirements and Design Lifecycle' diagram has been added to show the apparent flow of requirement versions through the various BABOK KA Tasks.
3. There is 'Additional Information' details to provide as much extra information as would fit within a two page layout.
Note: See latest version on: https://www.slideshare.net/AlanMaxwell3/babokv3-a-summary-v100
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The role of a business analyst is an important part of any project team. Acting as the key interface between the users and the project manager they gather information, document processes, and confirm the final documents with users.
Business Analyst Responsibilities:
Evaluating business processes, anticipating requirements, uncovering areas for improvement, and developing and implementing solutions.
Leading ongoing reviews of business processes and developing optimization strategies.
Staying up-to-date on the latest process and IT advancements to automate and modernize systems.
Conducting meetings and presentations to share ideas and findings.
Performing requirements analysis.
Documenting and communicating the results of your efforts.
Effectively communicating your insights and plans to cross-functional team members and management.
Gathering critical information from meetings with various stakeholders and producing useful reports.
Working closely with clients, technicians, and managerial staff.
Providing leadership, training, coaching, and guidance to junior staff.
Allocating resources and maintaining cost efficiency.
Ensuring solutions meet business needs and requirements.
Performing user acceptance testing.
Managing projects, developing project plans, and monitoring performance.
Updating, implementing, and maintaining procedures.
Prioritizing initiatives based on business needs and requirements.
Serving as a liaison between stakeholders and users.
Managing competing resources and priorities.
Monitoring deliverables and ensuring timely completion of projects.
Business Analyst Requirements:
A bachelor’s degree in business or related field or an MBA.
A minimum of 5 years of experience in business analysis or a related field.
All of us must have heard this proverb umpteen number of times in our lives. However, when it comes to elicitation, we tend to forget the same.Elicitation is possibly the most important job we business analysts do. I am surprised that many of us understand only few facets of elicitation such as requirements gathering and recording.Elicitation is much more than requirements gathering and recording. A good elicitation activity can significantly reduce effort in changes in requirements and subsequent changes to design, construction and testing activities.Here is an attempt to make our elicitation exercises more effective.
Business analyst interview questions and answersRobin G
Prepare better for your interview with this comprehensive set of 'Business Analyst Interview Questions and Answers'.
Courtesy : http://thebusinessanalystjobdescription.com
A summary of the IIBA BABOKv3 information to help prepare for the CBAP exam and as a general reference.
Details include:
1. Groups all of the Knowledge Area details together like Tasks/Elements + Additional info + Stakeholders + Inputs/Outputs CRUD + Techniques.
2. A 'Requirements and Design Lifecycle' diagram has been added to show the apparent flow of requirement versions through the various BABOK KA Tasks.
3. There is 'Additional Information' details to provide as much extra information as would fit within a two page layout.
Note: See latest version on: https://www.slideshare.net/AlanMaxwell3/babokv3-a-summary-v100
business analyst job description
business analyst course
business analyst interview questions
business analyst skills
business analyst amazon
business analyst average salary in india
a business analyst makes 20 an hour
a business analyst cv
business analyst blogs
business analyst jobs
business analyst certification
business analyst certification course
business analyst deloitte
business analyst description
business analyst fresher
business analyst fresher interview questions
business analyst google
#businessanalyst #job description
business analyst #course
business analyst #interview questions
business analyst #skills
business analyst #amazon
business analyst #average salary in india
business analyst #cv
business analyst #blogs
business analyst #jobs
business analyst #certification course
business analyst #google
The role of a business analyst is an important part of any project team. Acting as the key interface between the users and the project manager they gather information, document processes, and confirm the final documents with users.
Business Analyst Responsibilities:
Evaluating business processes, anticipating requirements, uncovering areas for improvement, and developing and implementing solutions.
Leading ongoing reviews of business processes and developing optimization strategies.
Staying up-to-date on the latest process and IT advancements to automate and modernize systems.
Conducting meetings and presentations to share ideas and findings.
Performing requirements analysis.
Documenting and communicating the results of your efforts.
Effectively communicating your insights and plans to cross-functional team members and management.
Gathering critical information from meetings with various stakeholders and producing useful reports.
Working closely with clients, technicians, and managerial staff.
Providing leadership, training, coaching, and guidance to junior staff.
Allocating resources and maintaining cost efficiency.
Ensuring solutions meet business needs and requirements.
Performing user acceptance testing.
Managing projects, developing project plans, and monitoring performance.
Updating, implementing, and maintaining procedures.
Prioritizing initiatives based on business needs and requirements.
Serving as a liaison between stakeholders and users.
Managing competing resources and priorities.
Monitoring deliverables and ensuring timely completion of projects.
Business Analyst Requirements:
A bachelor’s degree in business or related field or an MBA.
A minimum of 5 years of experience in business analysis or a related field.
In this business analysis training session, you will learn about Introduction to Business Analysis. Topics covered in this course are:
Introduction to Business Analysis
• Business Process – What and Why?
• Who is a Project Manager?
• Who is a Business Analyst?
• What is Business Analysis and why is it important?
• Roles, Responsibilities and necessary Skills for a Business Analyst
To know more, visit this link: https://www.mindsmapped.com/courses/business-analysis/getting-started-with-business-analysis-fundamentals/
Presentation slides from my BABOK Study Group that I led.
Those materials will help you pass BABOK certification exams. Study Group was aimed at individuals self preparing to CCBA or CBAP exams.
Subject of this presentation: Business Analysis Planning & Monitoring.
Please visit my blog: http://zubkiewicz.com/
Presentation on Business Requirements gathering for Business Intelligence from our BI Practice Lead. Detailed instruction on how to maximize your time in gathering requirements and ensure you capture what is important to the user. Requirements gathering is critical to the success of a BI project.
The Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring knowledge area describes the process of how a business analyst determines which activities will be needed to complete the business analysis effort.
After unnecessary complexity has been reduced from the problem being solved, the scope of the solution to the problem is governed by the complexity of the problem. Complexity is needed to handle and process complexity. Systems acquire or accrete unnecessary complexity over time as originally unforeseen exceptions or changes are incorporated. It may be possible to reduce complexity by collapsing/compressing/combining/consolidating elements and by removing non-value-adding, duplicate, redundant activities. When unnecessary or accreted complexity in the problem being solved has been removed, you are left with necessary complexity that must be incorporated into the solution. Simple problems do not have complex solutions. Complex problems do not have simple solutions. The complexity factor of the proposed solution must match the complexity factor of the problem being resolved. Many system implementation and operational failures arise because of failure to understand and address the core complexity of the problem.
8 Most Effective Requirements Gathering Techniques.Xebrio
Check out these requirement gathering techniques to ensure that you don't miss any requirements and avoid project failure.
Requirements gathering is an important part of the project management which ensures that you do not miss the deadlines.
#RequirementsGathering
The purpose of this article is to conceptualize and identify troubled projects and allow their evaluation and possible recovery, minimizing the impact of the negative effects in the event of a total failure. The word recovery, as used here, has a meaning that is different than usual. It does not mean leading the project to the intended success from the planning phase but to minimize total failure.
In this business analysis training session, you will learn about Introduction to Business Analysis. Topics covered in this course are:
Introduction to Business Analysis
• Business Process – What and Why?
• Who is a Project Manager?
• Who is a Business Analyst?
• What is Business Analysis and why is it important?
• Roles, Responsibilities and necessary Skills for a Business Analyst
To know more, visit this link: https://www.mindsmapped.com/courses/business-analysis/getting-started-with-business-analysis-fundamentals/
Presentation slides from my BABOK Study Group that I led.
Those materials will help you pass BABOK certification exams. Study Group was aimed at individuals self preparing to CCBA or CBAP exams.
Subject of this presentation: Business Analysis Planning & Monitoring.
Please visit my blog: http://zubkiewicz.com/
Presentation on Business Requirements gathering for Business Intelligence from our BI Practice Lead. Detailed instruction on how to maximize your time in gathering requirements and ensure you capture what is important to the user. Requirements gathering is critical to the success of a BI project.
The Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring knowledge area describes the process of how a business analyst determines which activities will be needed to complete the business analysis effort.
After unnecessary complexity has been reduced from the problem being solved, the scope of the solution to the problem is governed by the complexity of the problem. Complexity is needed to handle and process complexity. Systems acquire or accrete unnecessary complexity over time as originally unforeseen exceptions or changes are incorporated. It may be possible to reduce complexity by collapsing/compressing/combining/consolidating elements and by removing non-value-adding, duplicate, redundant activities. When unnecessary or accreted complexity in the problem being solved has been removed, you are left with necessary complexity that must be incorporated into the solution. Simple problems do not have complex solutions. Complex problems do not have simple solutions. The complexity factor of the proposed solution must match the complexity factor of the problem being resolved. Many system implementation and operational failures arise because of failure to understand and address the core complexity of the problem.
8 Most Effective Requirements Gathering Techniques.Xebrio
Check out these requirement gathering techniques to ensure that you don't miss any requirements and avoid project failure.
Requirements gathering is an important part of the project management which ensures that you do not miss the deadlines.
#RequirementsGathering
The purpose of this article is to conceptualize and identify troubled projects and allow their evaluation and possible recovery, minimizing the impact of the negative effects in the event of a total failure. The word recovery, as used here, has a meaning that is different than usual. It does not mean leading the project to the intended success from the planning phase but to minimize total failure.
Yonix presents: It’s all about stakeholder communicationyonix
It’s all about stakeholder communication: The role of business analysis in determining the success of projects.
As business analysts, it's our job to encourage collaboration and communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders. We represent the requirements of business stakeholders and translate this to our technical team members, and vice versa. We are the in essence, conduits of information.
A large majority of project failures are attributed to the requirements and analysis phases. Are we really doing what is required to meet business and stakeholder expectations?
During this session, Jody Bullen, CEO of Yonix will present some findings from a recent New Zealand survey, highlighting common business analysis problems faced in software development.
The software development process is a complex and error-prone task. faulty software can lead to devastating consequences, including loss of data, system crashes, and security breaches. Let's discuss the most common challenges that can occur and how to address them.
Top 5 Pitfalls to Avoid Implemeting COSO 2013Aviva Spectrum™
Learn about the 5 pitfalls you should avoid when implementing COSO's 2013 framework. This presentation will provide you with background on what could go wrong for SOX testing and other pitfalls to be aware of.
, please see the feedback within your paper and in the scoring rub.docxmadlynplamondon
, please see the feedback within your paper and in the scoring rubric.
Important: I found that your paper has some parts that are similar to your Turnitin report and are not in your own words. Even more important, by not citing and quoting your sources in correct APA format, it can be considered plagiarized. These parts are highlighted in yellow within your paper. You can't earn credit for plagiarized material. This affected, not only the criteria areas they were found, but written communication, APA format, and related areas.
( 0.48 / 0.75) Summarizes the Research Question, Methods, and Findings of the Assigned Qualitative Research Study
Below Expectations - Attempts to summarize the research question, methods, and findings of the assigned qualitative research study; however, significant details are missing.
Comments:
Your summary of the study did not include some of the major points of what was done in the research. Summarizing involves picking out the most important information in the original source and restating the information in a shorter form in your own words. To learn more about writing an effective summary, visit the Ashford Writing Center under Learning Resources in the classroom.
( 0.48 / 0.75) Evaluates the Appropriateness of the Research Methods and Analytical Approaches Used in the Study, Supporting the Evaluation with Evidence Cited from the Textbook and at Least One Other Scholarly Source about the Research Design or Method
Below Expectations - Attempts to evaluate the research methods and/or analytical approaches used in the study; however, does not support the evaluation with evidence cited from the textbook or another scholarly source about the research design or method, and/or significant details are missing.
( 0.32 / 0.50) Analyzes Ethical Issues Pertaining to How the Study was Carried Out
Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze ethical issues pertaining to how the study was carried out; however, does not include a discussion of possible ethical considerations that were not mentioned in the article, and/or significant details are missing.
Comments:
You mentioned some general ethical principles but did not mention some of the things the researchers did in this study to try to make sure it was ethical. Look for indications of approval by a review board or ethics committee, informed consent, free consent, protection of confidentiality, and other requirements of the ethics code.
( 0.32 / 0.50) Critiques the Strengths, Weaknesses, and Limitations of the Study
Below Expectations - Attempts to critique the strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of the study; however, significant details are missing and entirely unclear.
( 0.32 / 0.50) Recommends a Research Question and Methods for a Follow-up Study on the Topic
Below Expectations - Recommends a research question or research methods for a follow-up study, but not both. The research question is not appropriate and narrowly defined, or the suggested methods are not feasible.
In this presentation We discuss some of the questions hat are asked to Business Analyst In Interviews, These are the most common questions that get asked
Proactive steps to ensure the success of the next ERP project.
The main goal of this presentation is to provide learned lessons and project recommendations
by assessing the failure of Avon order managementsystem project from an IT projectmanagement perspective
The presentation demonstrates the Business Analyst Career Path, covering the following items:
- Business Analysis definition
- Philosophy of Business Analysis
- Skills of the Business Analyst
- Business Analyst Ladders
- Business Analyst Salaries
- How to start you business analyst career
- Business Analysis in the era of the algorithm
Similar to Requirements Gathering: What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (20)
YouTube has become a crucial part of learning and teaching since it was purchased by Google in November 2006. Videos on almost any subject can be found: from learning about Pythagoras's theorem, to setting up a satellite dish, to figuring out how to draw a pie chart in Excel, to learning a new language. YouTube has become a "go to" place for learners - many of who prefer to use YouTube for learning instead of attending a class. The vast library of educational content that YouTube has become is very often a "first-stop shop" for learners, who have become adept at finding the content they need. For educators, YouTube as a resource poses different challenges. Many educators will use YouTube as a resource by pointing students to videos such as a poet reading his/her own poem, or to a scientist showing how an experiment works. Many other educators create their own content based on classroom material and publish to YouTube.
For 10 years the author has been using YouTube to create content in subject areas such as Statistics, Project Management, and Business Analysis, to augment classroom content. In this presentation he will reflect on his own experiences, and those of over 9,500,000 learners, on learning and teaching with YouTube.
Video in Education - DIT e-Learning Summer School 2014Eugene O'Loughlin
Since the foundation of YouTube in February 2005, it has grown into a fantastic educational resource for learners of all types. From learning how to tie your shoe laces to figuring out how to write a Java programme – there is something for everybody. For many learners, YouTube has become a first port of call for content. Without content, YouTube would not succeed as a learning and teaching tool. Thousands of developers are sharing their content on-line for free. In April 2006, the Learn with Dr Eugene O’Loughlin YouTube Channel was set up as part of an experiment with students studying Learning Technologies. Since then the channel, with over 5.5 million views, has grown into a support tool for classes in subjects such as Statistics, Business Analysis, and Project Management. Using data analytics from his own channel, Dr O’Loughlin will discuss the following questions:
Why do developers share their content?
What makes leaners go to YouTube to learn?
What makes a successful YouTube channel?
Who is watching the videos?
How to interact with YouTube learners?
Managing a YouTube Channel?
Eugene O'Loughlin EdTech 2010 Presentation - Using YouTube in ClassEugene O'Loughlin
My slides used in EdTech 2010 presentation.
In the middle of the presentation I switched to a demo of how to embed a YouTube video into PowerPoint - this is not included here. To see a separate video about this visit: http://bit.ly/cpA6Qm
Acetabularia Information For Class 9 .docxvaibhavrinwa19
Acetabularia acetabulum is a single-celled green alga that in its vegetative state is morphologically differentiated into a basal rhizoid and an axially elongated stalk, which bears whorls of branching hairs. The single diploid nucleus resides in the rhizoid.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
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Let’s explore the intersection of technology and equity in the final session of our DEI series. Discover how AI tools, like ChatGPT, can be used to support and enhance your nonprofit's DEI initiatives. Participants will gain insights into practical AI applications and get tips for leveraging technology to advance their DEI goals.
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Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty, In...Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty,
International FDP on Fundamentals of Research in Social Sciences
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A review of the growth of the Israel Genealogy Research Association Database Collection for the last 12 months. Our collection is now passed the 3 million mark and still growing. See which archives have contributed the most. See the different types of records we have, and which years have had records added. You can also see what we have for the future.
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
10. • The best or “alpha” project managers spend more time
on every PM process group than their counterparts
except for execution, as follows:
• Initiating: 2% vs. 1%
• Planning: 21% vs. 11%
• Executing: 69% vs. 82%
• Controlling: 5% vs. 4%
• Closing: 3% vs. 2%1*
What the top 2% know that everyone else does not
Andy Crowe, Alpha Project Managers: What the Top 2%
Know That Everyone Else Does Not, Velociteach Press
(2006).
10
8 key areas were identified where alpha project
managers shine:
1. Attitude and belief
2. Communication
3. Alignment with the organization
4. Approach and organization
5. Priority management skills
6. Issue Management
7. Relationships and conflict
8. Leadership
12. Six Common Problems Faced By A Business Analyst
1. Resistance in sharing information
2. Irregular attendance
3. Accountability for decisions
4. Resolving user conflicts
5. Real needs vs. perceived needs
6. Changing needs
Source: BA Times
13. The Top Challenges Facing Business Analysts
Source: Business Improvement Architects
18. Why Projects Fail – Poor Requirements
• Most business requirements approaches fail
on two dimensions
1. Lack of a true process orientation
2. Lack of understanding of the neuroscience
involved in requirements definition
Being asked what you
want out of a system is
like being asked what you
want out of life! Where do
you start? What are the
parameters?
19. Impact of Poor Requirements
If business analysts provide
subpar requirements, it
causes a wide range of
negative consequences not
only for the current project
but for the business as a
whole.
27. Five common errors in requirements analysis
1. Customers don't (really) know what they want
2. Requirements change during the course of the
project
3. Customers have unreasonable timelines
4. Communication gaps exist between customers, engineers and
project managers
5. The development team doesn't understand the politics of the
customer's organization
Source: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/five-common-errors-in-requirements-analysis-and-how-to-avoid-them
28. SAME O' SAME O'.…
• Every project is different, but…
• Same people
• Same Team Lead
• Same Project Manager
• Same agendas
• Same customs
• Same needs
Negotiate – Polite – Change
29. Lessons Learned
• What works in Manufacturing will not work in Finance
• One-to-one interviews “brilliant”, especially if you want
to know a process
• Workshops only work if you bring in people from all
departments
• Use Visio for step-by-step walkthroughs
• Use templates
• Read legislation
• Get on with the Project Manager
• Know the issues, risks, and dependencies
30. Learning from our mistakes
• “The hardest mistakes to learn from are those that
lack consequence.”
Jasper Sole
• “No one is exempt from the rule that learning
occurs through recognition of error.”
Alexander Lowen
31. QQI Certificate in Business Analysis
• More information at:
• www.businessanalyst.ie
• www.ncirl.ie
32. My Book
Business Systems Analysis
Analysis Tools
Problem
Identification
Improvement
Priorities
Identification
Decision
Making
Process
Identification
Resource
Planning
Process
Improvement
Controlling and Improving Processes
Performance
Measurement
Benchmarking
Performance
Importance/
Performance
Requirements
Elicitation Analysis
www.theliffeypress.com
http://usingmyvoice.blogspot.ie/2006/05/pitfalls-of-perception.htmlWe are conditioned by our experiences to anticipate when presented with new stimuli. The author shows the following example to demonstrate this point. Take a look at the following illustration:The triangles contain 3 little homilies that are very familiar to most people who see them. So how many of you realized right away that each triangle repeats the "article" in the saying (the/the, an/an/, the/the)? I sure didn't see that. I saw what my prior experiences caused me to expect.
The picture is of a woman, but do you see a young woman or an old woman? Most people will immediately form an impression of one or the other. Whichever woman you see, how long did it take you to see the other woman? Still working on it? The young woman has a smaller face and is looking away from us. The older woman has a larger face and is turned a bit more in our direction. It can take quite a while to make the shift from one image to the other even after you can see both of them. We assimilate the details into our previous impression, such as interpreting the older woman's mouth as the younger woman's necklace. Interesting, isn't it?
http://www.b2ttraining.com/2014/01/27/get-out-of-the-elicitation-rutThey call a meeting, pull a bunch of people together into a room, and start asking questions. Then they wonder why they’re so frustrated by the lack of progress that they make. I get all the war stories about arguments, conflicting agendas, and participants who get side-trackedand hijack the meeting.I think they’re stuck in a rut. They’ve gotten in the habit of viewing meetings as the primary (or only) technique for requirements elicitation, and they don’t stop to think about their options. They also don’t think about their participants in enough detail. In other words – they don’t plan their elicitation, they just dive in and try to get
Usually in an SDLC cycle, the requirements elicitation phase is right at the beginning. As oft repeated, this is a very crucial phase that will make or break the project. This is the only time in the entire SDLC when the business users spend considerable time with the business analysts. Since these are focused sessions or workshops, it is imperative that the business analyst is able to make the most of the business users’ time and knowledge. It is important to remember that there will be no phase in future that provides the BAs with this luxury! However, it is not without its own problem areas.In this article, I will highlight the most common problems and provide some pointers as to how we can work around them. These may not be foolproof solutions but they will work in most situations. I leave it to the reader to decide.1. Resistance in sharing information: In some cases, information will not be forthcoming. These users will regularly attend your workshop but it will take a mammoth effort to make them talk. At the other end of the spectrum, there are users who make your life difficult by bombarding you with loads of documents. In such a scenario, even to find the answer to a simple question, you may have to read hundreds of pages!How to get around this problem:The very fact that the users are not sharing relevant information should raise red flags. We need to understand the users’ reasons for doing so:Are they resistant to change and are so used to a certain way of working that they do not want to change?Is it a complicated case of ego issues and office politics that causes them to not want to share information?They really don’t know why a certain process is being done in a particular manner and they have been blindly following it for ages.The first two issues get addressed gradually once the BA is able to gain the users’ confidence and trust. In my experience, this usually happens after a couple of sessions. Once the ice is broken, information flows more easily.The last issue is a bit tricky as users hate to admit that they never thought of the ‘why’ and they just concentrated on the ‘how’. The BA has to word his or her questions very skillfully here. After playing detective, it is often very clear that users don’t have the information that is the BA needs. Once this is known, the BA will have to identify the proper source for this information by talking to the facilitator.2. Irregular attendance:This happens when key users attend one session and then skip a few in a row. Suddenly, they appear and start changing the course by asking/changing things that were frozen during their absence. Or worse still, they want you to start from where they left.A set of users keeps on rotating, and a user who is present today may be gone tomorrow. There is inconsistency in attending the workshop.How to get around this problem:The first problem usually happens when the changes have been proposed by IT and not driven by a business need. Since there is no buy-in from the business users, they are not interested in attending the workshops. However, as the project is be driven from the top, they attend the sessions intermittently to get the ‘attendance’ and ‘participation’ tick mark. They also pose hurdles in the form of the next problem as they send their team members in turns.As a business analyst, apart from escalation to the project manager and the project sponsor, there is nothing much that can be done. The BA can highlight that the requirements captured during the workshops may have to be re-validated as there is no continuity of the users.3. Accountability for decisions:There may be instances in which the current business process needs to be changed or modified to make it more efficient. The users may all be in consensus but none will volunteer to approve it. Or, there could be situations where the elicitation process may reach a dead end if certain decisions are not taken.How to get around this problem:The very fact that the users are in consensus is itself a big win. Here, the only issue is of accountability. If the issue under discussion can be moved into a parking lot and can be considered later, then the next function can be picked up. If this is not possible then along with the project manager, the BA can prepare a business case and present it to the user community. The business case document should have enough details for the decision-maker to come to a decision. It should clearly elaborate on the issue on which the decision is sought and the preferred outcome to resolve that issue.4. Resolving user conflicts:This could take two forms:a. Conflict between the business analyst and the users: This usually happens when the business analyst tries to propose a new or a modified approach to the current process that is being followed.How to get around this problem:To address the first problem, the BA will have to first understand the resistance from the users. Has he/she missed or not taken something into consideration? Or, is it again a situation where the users wish to continue doing what they have been doing? The BA will first have to get clear answers for these and potentially other questions. After all this is done, if the BA still feels that the recommendation needs to get a user buy-in, then the approach followed will be similar to the one that we saw in the earlier problem area, i.e., preparing a tight business case without any loopholes and presenting it to the users.b. Conflict between users: If users who perform similar tasks across different organizational functions come together, there is bound to be conflict as each one feels that their approach is best.How to get around this problem:This could be an ego issue as each function would like to outshine the other. This is an area where the BA’s facilitation and analytical skills are put to test. The BA should be able to dissect all the views that have been put forth and try to facilitate a healthy discussion in which all the parties are listened to. It is not necessary to accept every suggestion but it is important that each user feels that he or she has been given a fair chance to present his or her case. In most situations, this approach works. If it doesn’t, the only option left is escalation to the relevant people.5. Real needs vs. perceived needs:Sometimes it becomes difficult for business users to distinguish between a real need and a perceived need. A perceived need is always a little tricky as it may be a workaround/temporary solution for the problem and not the problem itself!How to get around this problem:Real needs are the obvious ones and can be easily identified. These are usually the issues or the major process changes that the business requires. In the eyes of the business user, a perceived need is very much a real need. The trick here is to dig deeper and probe to discover the real issue. For example, a user might ask for the functionality to update data. This can definitely be a risky requirement as it may lead to data tampering. However, the real need may be that the source data is received in an Excel file and the user probably has to do some sort of data formatting (e.g., date to be in mmddyyyy instead of ddmmyyyy) and hence the request. This can be easily achieved by asking the source to provide the data in the requisite format. Thus, it is very important for the business analyst to dig deeper and identify the true problem area.6. Changing needs:Time and again, we have faced this, and there is always a dilemma as to whether a BA should accommodate or ignore the change.How to get around this problem:This is a perpetual problem and I am sure that there is hardly anyone in the business analyst world who has not faced this! There is no hard and fast rule to accept or reject the changes. The best way is to first understand the reason for the change. If it is regulatory then the change will most likely have to be included but at the cost of a delay in the project delivery. If it is not regulatory then a dialogue is required with the customer to understand the priority, whether it can be included in the current phase or if it could be delivered in the next phase. The best method is to do the MoSCoW analysis. This will definitely provide the business analyst the information that he or she seeks.
The research also showed the following major issues increasing in importance over prior years that are facing organizations when identifying and managing business requirements:Project changes are poorly managedProject does not address all stakeholder needsPoor project management skillsTest strategy not well definedProject not linked to organizational goals
Firms with a standard PM methodology for managing their projects (78% of the firms surveyed) had fewer than half as many project failures as those that did not have one The top five actions most often taken in a project recovery intervention are: » Improving communication, stakeholder management (62%). » Redefining the project—reducing the scope, re-justifying the project financially (60%). » Adding and/or removing resources (58%). » Resolving problematic technical issues (49%). » Replacing the project manager or bringing in a consultant to manage recovery (36%).
Most business requirements approaches fail on two dimensions.The first dimension is a lack of a true process orientation. When you're building a system you may need to know the features and functions required. But the business does not work through features and functions, but through processes. Business requirements need to be defined in business process terms — how the organization wants to do business, compete and make money in the future.This needs to include the process and information flows (so you can see where the system can cost-effectively automate the process) as well as the organizational change requirements (so you can prepare the organization to adopt and use the new system) and the desired business outcomes (the business end states to be achieved).So your requirements generation process needs to deliver the systems and organizational change requirements in process terms and the business measures of success (in measurable end states terms). Most requirements processes fail on at least two of these dimensions. (While there is a lot of focus on processes these days, most is misfocused. Approaches focus on, for example, getting the symbols of the flow maps right or the data for Six Sigma outputs. Process requirements need to focus on the value of each and every step in the process, the information needs of these steps and the resultant business changes required to make this new way of working happen.)The second dimension missing in requirements definition is an understanding of the neuroscience involved in requirements definition.Being asked "What do you want from a system?" also only taps into people's conscious brain (often called "top of mind"). This is only one-sixth of the brain and even less of people's total knowledge. All real knowledge is in their non-conscious.As one Chairperson said to me, "Being asked what you want out of a system is like being asked what you want out of life! Where do you start? What are the parameters?"If you rely on people's conscious "requirements" you'll fail. You need to tap into people's non-conscious to define their real requirements. People are conscious of the immediate problems and issues with their processes and so will seek to have these resolved. However, few are conscious of the strategic intent and rationale of their processes — what they are really trying to achieve and the reason (or lack of reason) for each step in the process. This knowledge is held in their non-conscious and has to be tapped into to identify what they really want the process to do, and why.Tapping into their non-conscious requires their intimate involvement in the requirements definition process — documenting the existing and new processes down to the operational problem level. It requires running workshops where people write down their thoughts before any brainstorming so as to tap into their inner knowledge before their thoughts are channeled by the loudest workshop participants.
Poor requirementsThe quality of requirements can have a lot of impact on the outcome of the project. One high profile project that was significantly affected by the requirements management process was the Chrysler Comprehensive Compensation System which was supposed to handle paychecks for Chrysler’s 87000 employees but was shut down after several years of development.The impact is magnified as the BA moves from high-level requirements towards functional and non-functional requirements. The cost of rework of functional requirements is the highest because these requirements define the technical specification and design of the solution.Here is the poster with the visual summary:
Don’t start without Customer Requirements!
Lessons Learned in How to Generate a Complete, Correct and Usable Set of Requirements the First Time and Every TimeThomas E. Austin and Lori H. RunkThermal Systems Division, DelphiJames P. WatersPowertrain Division, DelphiABSTRACTFrom a quarter to one half of all projects that fail to meettheir imperatives of cost, performance / quality orschedule are in some way associated with missing,poorly written or misunderstood requirements (1). Thisresults in re-design, re-test and continual frustration toboth the originator and the user of these requirements.Thus, a process for generating complete, consistent,unambiguous and verifiable requirements is essential totoday’s automotive development process which focuseson “fast to market” and “doing it right the first time.”Lessons learned from evaluating the customer, internaland supplier requirements specifications show that thefollowing requirement deficiencies regularly occur –• Hidden• Incomplete or unclear• Incorrect• Ambiguous• Missing• Unknown• Secret (competitive sensitive)• Unknown Correlations.This paper will review the purpose of requirements,characteristics of good requirements, and will provideexamples of what did go wrong in two automotiveprojects, what deficiencies / problems occurred, and howdifficult it was to find and define some requirements.RAR - Requirements Analysis Report.