The document provides 10 tips for facilitating effective requirements review sessions: 1) Use graphical models and mockups instead of long documents to make sessions more interactive; 2) Note corrections during sessions but save time by correcting later; 3) Prioritize requirements beforehand and discuss in order; 4) Encourage stakeholders to provide constructive feedback; 5) Send requirements packages in advance so stakeholders can prepare; 6) Select stakeholders with relevant domain knowledge and authority; 7) Employ a scribe to document comments; 8) Set ground rules for an effective discussion; 9) Use a parking lot to postpone issues that are off topic or extensive; 10) Ask for formal sign-off to approve requirements.

1. 10 Tips for Facilitating
Requirements Review
Sessions
For all Business Analysts & You
Business Analyst Learnings

2. Requirement
Review Sessions
Are held to:
•
Communicate Requirements
•
Validate Requirements and
•
Approve Requirements
They are also known as
Structured Walkthroughs.

3. Tip 1
Less text, more pictures.
Graphical models and mock-up
screens make sessions more
interactive and
engaging.
Why use a 20-page document
when a 2-page model can
deliver the same message?

4. Tip 2
Requirements review
sessions are about
detecting errors, not
correcting them on the
spot.
•
Take note of corrections
•
Save time by correcting
them later.

5. Tip 3
Prioritize the issues to be
discussed.
•
Don’t spend too much time
focusing on exceptions or
rare scenarios.
•
Prioritize requirements
beforehand and discuss
them in order.

6. Tip 4
Encourage stakeholders to
provide feedback.
•
Solicit for constructive
criticism
•
Involve the quiet ones
•
Ask probing questions.

7. Tip 5
Send the Requirements
Package in advance.
This will ensure that:
•
Stakeholders can prepare
in advance
•
Stakeholders do
not
have to start from
scratch.

8. Tip 6
Get the right stakeholder mix.
•
Do some stakeholder profiling
•
Select stakeholders with
sufficient domain
knowledge and
authority.

9. Tip 7
Employ a scribe.
This will ensure that:
•
You are not distracted from
facilitating effectively
•
You do
not miss out
on any of the
comments.

10. Tip 8
Set the ground rules.
Examples of ground rules
include:
•
Review the product, not the
producer
•
Take turns to speak – all
opinions matter
•
Share all relevant
information
•
Discuss issues, not people
•
Be open to new concepts
and ideas.

11. Tip 9
Use the parking lot.
Postpone issues that are:
•
Contentious
•
Out of scope
•
Extensive
Until key issues have been
addressed.

12. Tip 10
Ask if stakeholders will be
willing to sign off on the
requirements.
Sign-off indicates a readiness
to approve requirements.
After the session:
•
Make the necessary
corrections and
•
Send the documents out for a
formal sign-off.

13. Read more on how to conduct
Requirements Review Sessions