Mastering software project requirements : a framework for successful planning, development & alignment

297 Pages·2013·2.79 MB·English

by  Davis

Mastering Software
Project Requirements
A Framework for Successful Planning,
Development & Alignment
Barbara Davis
Copyright © 2013 by Barbara Davis
ISBN-13: 978-1-60427-091-4
Printed and bound in the U.S.A. Printed on acid-free paper.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Davis, Barbara, 1969-
Mastering software project requirements : a framework for successful
planning, development & alignment / by Barbara Davis.
pages cm
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-60427-091-4 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Information technology
projects--Management. 2. Computer software—Development—Management.
3. Management information systems. I. Title.
T58.64.D37755 2013
005.068’4—dc23
2013028702
This publication contains information obtained from authentic and highly
regarded sources. Reprinted material is used with permission, and sources are
indicated. Reasonable effort has been made to publish reliable data and infor-
mation, but the author and the publisher cannot assume responsibility for the
validity of all materials or for the consequences of their use.
All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part thereof may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
the prior written permission of the publisher.
The copyright owner’s consent does not extend to copying for general distri-
bution for promotion, for creating new works, or for resale. Specific permission
must be obtained from J. Ross Publishing for such purposes.
Direct all inquiries to J. Ross Publishing, Inc., 300 S. Pine Island Rd., Suite
305, Plantation, FL 33324.
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web: www.jrosspub.com
Dedication
“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to treat everything as a
nail.”—Unknown
This book is dedicated to:
Robert, my husband, for all the years of discussion we shared about
requirements. I’m looking forward to many more.
Tonya, my sister, for helping edit the manuscript for this book.
Mr. James Canter, for his contribution to this book on the importance of
requirements from a testing perspective.
Mr. Tony White, for his contribution to the Agile discussion in this
book.
Mr. Klassen, my favorite high school English teacher.
And this book is dedicated to every business analyst who works hard every single
day and works for something more. Don’t give up; you’ll get there.
iii

Table of Contents
Dedication ...............................................................................................................iii
Preface ....................................................................................................................xiii
About the Author ..................................................................................................xix
SECTION I: IDENTIFYING AND UNDERSTANDING
THE BUSINESS SOLUTION .................................................................1
CHAPTER 1 Identifying the Solution ..............................................................3
Defined Versus Undefined Solution Starting Points ...........................................3
Defining the Business Need, Vision, and Mission ..............................................5
Managing to the Exception ...................................................................................15
Understanding Business Architecture .................................................................16
Benefits Realization Planning ...............................................................................19
References ................................................................................................................22
CHAPTER 2 Stakeholder Involvement and Management .............................23
The Seinfeld Approach to Requirements ............................................................23
Setting and Managing Expectations ....................................................................24
Beyond RACI: Getting Sponsors, Business Owners, and User Groups
Involved .........................................................................................................31
RACI Matrix ......................................................................................................32
Why Some People Contribute and Others Don’t ....................................32
Why Opportunity Alone Does Not Equal Contribution and
Increased Participation ...........................................................................33
Types of Participation ..................................................................................34
v
vi Contents
Creating the Right Conditions and Environment Increases
Participation ..................................................................................................36
Informational Activities ..............................................................................36
Input Funnels ................................................................................................37
Facilitator’s Role ............................................................................................38
References ................................................................................................................42
SECTION II: REQUIREMENTS PLANNING AND
MANAGEMENT ...................................................................................43
CHAPTER 3 The Evolution of Requirements on a Project ...........................45
Inherent Project Risks to Requirements .............................................................45
Risks from Project Inception ...........................................................................48
Strategic Planning of Business Architecture .............................................48
Managing Expectations ...............................................................................49
Communication Architecture ....................................................................50
Risks from Project Resources ..........................................................................50
5 Critical Requirements Steps that Get Missed: What Business
Analysts Are Not Doing (Consistently) ....................................................51
Research ..............................................................................................................52
Gap Assessment (Versus Gap Analysis) .........................................................52
Ambiguity Management ...................................................................................52
Requirements Validation ..................................................................................53
Facilitated Sign Off ............................................................................................53
Quantifying Effectiveness of Requirements Activities .................................54
The Golden Rules of Requirements .....................................................................55
Attributes of Great Requirements ........................................................................56
Reference .................................................................................................................57
CHAPTER 4 Requirements Management and Development Strategy .........59
Developing a Requirements Management Strategy ..........................................61
Planning Requirements Management ............................................................62
Preparing for Requirements Management ....................................................64
Requirements Management Activities ................................................................65
Tools and Techniques ............................................................................................67
Traceability .........................................................................................................67
Change Control .................................................................................................67
Ambiguity Management ...................................................................................69
Ambiguity Log ..............................................................................................69
Sign Off ..........................................................................................................70
Contents vii
Requirements Management Tool ....................................................................70
Naming and Numbering Conventions ...........................................................70
Numbering Business Process Models ........................................................71
Process Control ............................................................................................71
Numbering Business Rules .........................................................................72
Document Name ..........................................................................................72
Numbering Requirements ...........................................................................73
Document Name ..........................................................................................73
Impacts of Changes to Requirements ........................................................74
CHAPTER 5 Establishing Metrics and Benchmarks .....................................77
Inputs for Metrics and Benchmarking ................................................................80
Outputs as Quantifiable Results ...........................................................................80
Measuring Requirements Effectiveness ..............................................................81
Calculating the Requirements Effectiveness Index ......................................82
Calculating the Requirements Quality Index ................................................84
Calculating the Requirements Productivity Index .......................................85
Business Priority and Criticality .....................................................................86
Functional Complexity .....................................................................................87
Estimating Requirements Activities ....................................................................88
Reference .................................................................................................................95
SECTION III: ALL THINGS REQUIREMENTS ....................................97
CHAPTER 6 Elicitation ..................................................................................99
From Business Objective and Problem, To Scope and
Requirements ..............................................................................................100
Inputs and Outputs of Elicitation ......................................................................101
Knowing Where to Find Sources for Requirements .......................................102
Why Each Source Is Valuable in Elicitation .....................................................102
Tribal Knowledge ............................................................................................103
Project Scope ....................................................................................................103
Project Charter ................................................................................................104
Project Plan ......................................................................................................105
High-Level Requirements ..............................................................................107
Business Architecture Documentation ........................................................107
Enterprise Architecture Documentation .....................................................107
What Information Is Collected During Elicitation? ........................................107
The Risks of Excluding Business Analysts in Implementing
Commercial-Off-the-Shelf Solutions ................................................................109
How Is This Information Used During Elicitation? ........................................111
viii Contents
What Artifacts and Deliverables Will Be Created in Elicitation?. .................111
Current State Definition .................................................................................111
Current State Inputs ...................................................................................112
Current State Outputs ................................................................................112
Current State Scope and Dependencies ..................................................112
Tools and Techniques for Defining the Current State ..........................113
Current State Audience and Sign Off ......................................................113
High- to Mid-Level Requirements Evolution (Refinement) .....................113
Mid-Level Requirements Scope and Dependencies ..............................114
Mid-Level Requirements Inputs ..............................................................114
Mid-Level Requirements Outputs ...........................................................115
Audience and Documentation Sign Off .................................................115
Outlining the Future State Definition ..........................................................118
Future State Inputs .....................................................................................118
Future State Outputs ..................................................................................118
Documentation Scope and Dependencies ..............................................118
Tools and Techniques for Defining the Future State .............................119
Future State Audience and Sign Off ........................................................120
Business Process Modeling ............................................................................120
Business Process Modeling Inputs ...........................................................121
Business Process Modeling Outputs ........................................................122
Business Process Modeling Documentation Scope and
Dependencies .........................................................................................122
Tools and Techniques for Business Process Modeling ..........................122
Business Process Modeling Audience and Documentation
Sign Off ...................................................................................................123
Business Rules Definition ..............................................................................124
Business Rule Inputs ..................................................................................124
Business Rule Outputs ...............................................................................125
Business Rule Scope and Dependencies .................................................125
Business Rule Audience and Sign Off .....................................................126
Who Will Use the Artifacts and Deliverables from Elicitation? ....................126
How Are the Artifacts and Deliverables Created in Elicitation Used? .........126
Tasks and Activities of Eliciting Requirements ................................................127
Techniques for Eliciting Requirements ........................................................127
How Tribal Knowledge Is Collected .............................................................127
Facilitation ...................................................................................................128
Guidelines for Conducting Effective Meetings ......................................130
Research ............................................................................................................130
Joint Application Development Sessions .....................................................132
Reference ...............................................................................................................133
Contents ix
CHAPTER 7 Analysis ....................................................................................135
Inputs and Outputs for Analysis ........................................................................137
How Is this Information Used During Analysis? ............................................138
Business Process Models ................................................................................138
Current State Definition .................................................................................138
Future State Definition Outline.....................................................................139
Business Architecture .....................................................................................139
Enterprise Architecture ..................................................................................139
What Artifacts Are Created During Analysis? .................................................141
Scenario Definition .........................................................................................141
Gap Analysis ....................................................................................................142
Cause and Effect Tables ..................................................................................142
Who Will Use the Artifacts and Deliverables? .................................................142
How Will the Artifacts and Deliverables Be Used? .........................................143
Tasks and Activities of Analysis ....................................................................143
Techniques for Analyzing Requirements .....................................................143
Gap Analysis ....................................................................................................144
Inputs and Outputs of Gap Analysis .......................................................144
Performing Gap Analysis ..........................................................................145
Routine Gap Analysis ................................................................................145
Realignment Gap Analysis ........................................................................145
Peripheral Gap Analysis ............................................................................146
Scenarios ...........................................................................................................147
Activity Diagrams............................................................................................147
Document Structure and Management for Activity Diagrams ...........148
Naming Conventions for Activity Diagrams ..........................................148
Activity Diagram Inputs ............................................................................149
Activity Diagram Outputs .........................................................................149
Scope and Dependencies of Activity Diagrams .....................................149
Tools and Techniques for Defining the Activity Diagram ...................150
Who Signs Off on the Activity Diagrams? .............................................151
Use Case Definition Outlines ........................................................................151
Document Structure and Management for Use Cases ..........................151
Use Case Inputs ..........................................................................................152
Use Case Outputs .......................................................................................153
Use Case Scope and Dependencies..........................................................153
Tools and Techniques for Defining the Use Cases ................................153
Who Signs Off on the Use Cases? ............................................................154
Cause and Effect Tables ..................................................................................154
Document Structure and Management ..................................................156