SEG 3430 Tutorial 5

Requirements Determination
What is a Requirement?

zA statement of what the system must do

z A statement of characteristics the system
must have
z Focus is on business user needs during
analysis phase
z Requirements will change over time as
project moves from analysis to design to
implementation
Requirement Types

z Functional Requirements
z A process the system has to perform
z Information the system must contain

z Nonfunctional Requirements
z Behavioral properties the system must have
z Operational
z Performance
z Security
z Cultural and political
Functional Requirements
Nonfunctional Requirements
Documenting Requirements

z Requirements definition report

z Text document listing requirements in
outline form
z Priorities may be included

z Key
purpose is to define the project
scope: what is and is not to be included.
Requirement Definition Report: CD
Selection Example
Determining Requirements

z Participation by business users is

essential
z Requirement gathering techniques
z Interview
z JAD (Joint Application Development)
z Questionnaires
z Document Analysis
z Observation
Interviews
z Most commonly used technique
z Basic steps:
z Selecting Interviewees
z Designing Interview Questions
z Preparing for the Interview
z Conducting the Interview
z Post-Interview Follow-up
Selecting Interviewees

z Based on information needs

z Best to get different perspectives
z Managers
z Users

z Ideally, all key stakeholders

z Keep organizational politics in mind

Types of Interview Questions
Designing Interview Questions
Unstructured interview useful early in information
gathering
z Goal is broad, roughly defined information
z Structured interview useful later in process
z Goal is very specific information
z Top-Down and Bottom-up Questioning Strategies
Preparing for the Interview

z Prepare general interview plan

z List of question
z Anticipated answers and follow-ups
z Confirm areas of knowledge
z Set priorities in case of time shortage
z Prepare the interviewee
z Schedule
z Inform of reason for interview
z Inform of areas of discussion
Conducting the Interview

z Appear professional and unbiased

z Record all information
z Check on organizational policy regarding tape
recording
z Be sure you understand all issues and terms
z Separate facts from opinions
z Give interviewee time to ask questions
z Be sure to thank the interviewee
z End on time
Post-Interview Follow-Up

z Prepare interview notes

z Prepare interview report
z Have interviewee review and confirm
interview report
z Look for gaps and new questions
Interview Report Example
Joint Application Development
(JAD)
zA structured group process focused on
determining requirements
z Involves project team, users, and
management working together
z May reduce scope creep by 50%
z Very useful technique
JAD Participants

z Facilitator
z Trained in JAD techniques

z Sets agenda and guides group processes

z Scribe(s)
z Record content of JAD sessions

z Users and managers from business area

with broad and detailed knowledge
Preparing for the JAD Sessions

z Time commitment – ½ day to several

weeks
z Strong management support is needed
to release key participants from their
usual responsibilities
z Careful planning is essential
z e-JAD can help alleviate some problems
inherent with groups
JAD Meeting Room
Conducting the JAD Session

z Formal agenda and ground rules

z Top-down structure most successful
z Facilitator activities
z Keep session on track
z Help with technical terms and jargon
z Record group input
z Stay neutral, but help resolve issues
z Post-session follow-up report
Post JAD Follow-up

z Postsession report is prepared and

circulated among session attendees
z The report should be completed
approximately a week to two after the
JAD session
Questionnaires

z A set of written questions, often sent to a large

number of people
z May be paper-based or electronic
z Select participants using samples of the
population
z Design the questions for clarity and ease of
analysis
z Administer the questionnaire and take steps to
get a good response rate
z Questionnaire follow-up report
Good Questionnaire Design
Document Analysis

z Study of existing material describing the

current system
z Forms, reports, policy manuals, organization
charts describe the formal system
z Look for the informal system in user
additions to forms/report and unused
form/report elements
z User changes to existing forms/reports or non-
use of existing forms/reports suggest the
system needs modification
Observation

z Watch processes being performed

z Users/managers often don’t accurately recall
everything they do
z Checks validity of information gathered other
ways
z Be aware that behaviors change when people
are watched
z Be unobtrusive
z Identify peak and lull periods
Summary

z There are five major requirements-

gathering techniques that all systems
analysts must be able to use:
Interviews, JAD, Questionnaires,
Document Analysis, and Observation.
z Systems analysts must also know how
and when to use each as well as how to
combine methods.
References

z Systems Analysis and Design, 2nd

Edition, Alan Dennis and Barbara Haley
Wixom, Copyright: John Wiley's & Sons
Inc., 2003.