Wrangling and Taming Your Project Needs

REQUIREMENTS RODEO

AGENDA

1. Gathering Requirements

2. Documenting Requirements

3. Tracking Requirement Changes

4. Verifying Requirements 

INTRODUCTION

Mika Trottier

Project and Account ManagerOPIN Software

MANDATORY

• PMP

• Drupal Experience

• Nerd

OPTIONAL 

• Public Speaker

• Expert

• Cowboy

Step 1: Count your horses! Gathering Requirements

• Editors

• Staff

• Executives

• External Users • Funders

• Members

• Partners

• …

CONSULTING ALL STAKEHOLDERS

• Why?

• Why?

• Why?

• Why?

• WHY?!

ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

*5 Whys technique, Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodology:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Whys

• Why are we undertaking this project? 

• Why now?

• What are we trying to achieve?

• What’s going to make or break this project?

• Who are they key audiences and stakeholders?

• What does success mean to you?

• Project objectives

• Organizational objectives

SETTING GOALS

• Short term and long term vision 

• Qualitative and quantitative goals 

MUST-HAVES vs. NICE-TO-HAVES 

REFINING GOALS

• Broadening - then refining - the requirements

• Consulting all key stakeholders

• Agreeing on the project’s key objectives

• Considering the constraints

GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR GATHERING REQUIREMENTS

Step 2: Lasso up! Documenting Requirements

FUNCTIONAL vs. TECHNICAL  

CATEGORIZING REQUIREMENTS

• Granularity 

• Findability

TOOLS AND METHODOLOGY

• Traceability

• Transparency

TOOLS

TOOLS

TOOLS

TOOLS

TOOLS

TOOLS

Seth Brown, COO at Lullabot : lullabot.com/articles/the-art-of-estimation

TOOLS

TOOLS

TOOLS

TOOLS

TOOLS

REQUIREMENTS RODEO: PRO TIPS! 

*PERT formula : ideasandpixels.com/how-to-estimate-time-project-with-pert-formula

DON’T 

• make assumptions when scoping requirements and effort

• rely on your memory

• track changes without informing your stakeholders

DO

• ensure all requirements are documented with precision and clarity 

• account for review and approval cycles for every change made 

• find a methodology and tools that work for your team, project size, and stakeholders

• consider the cost of the unknown factors

 Step 3: Never underestimate the bull!Tracking Requirement Changes

TRACKING REQUIREMENT CHANGES

Rob Harr, Vice-president at Spark Box : seesparkbox.com/foundry/author/rob_harr

You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.

― Jon Kabat-Zinn

• PROCESS

• Who will approve this change?

• How will we track the updated requirement?

• GOALS

• Is this aligned with our objectives?

• CONSTRAINTS

• Can we achieve it within before the deadline?

• Can we produce it within our budget?

• Can we extend the budget?

• What other requirements should be removed to account for the new requirement?

MANAGING RISKS

• Accepting that things will change 

• Demonstrating flexibility when refining requirements

• Focusing on the project goals and constraints

GUIDING PRINCIPLES WHEN TRACKING REQUIREMENTS

Step 4: Take a bow! Verifying Requirements

VERIFYING REQUIREMENTS

• Managing expectations

• Collaborating 

• Adapting to change 

• Testing effectively

• Measuring success 

REQUIREMENTS RODEO: PERKS!

• Monthly meetup

• First Wednesday of every month

• From 6pm to 8pm

• New and exciting topics

• Expert speakers and presenters from the community

• Meet new people passionate about Drupal

• Get support from the local community

• Free pop, beer & pizza

DRUPALYOW

OPIN Software is the company behind The Open Mic

Podcast, which is released bi-weekly and discusses

anything & everything Drupal!

We will be hosting a live podcast today at 4pm, in the

business track room, and welcome everyone to attend and

contribute by discussing what you learned today and what

you are hoping for from the community in the future.

To listen to The Open Mic Podcast, please visit:

http://theopenmic.libsyn.com/

THE OPEN MIC PODCAST

OPIN Software is offering free Drupal 8 training sessions to

the attendees of DrupalCamp Ottawa. Sessions will

include:

• Drupal 8 Fundamentals

• Drupal 8 Module Development

• Drupal 8 Theming

If you are interested, please visit the OPIN booth upstairs.

FREE DRUPAL 8 TRAINING

THANK YOU!QUESTIONS?

TIPS? TOOLS? BULL RIDING STORIES?

mika.trottier@opin.ca

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mika-trottier-848a7525