Fact Finding Techniques

1Rajesh Kumar, Muzaffarpur

Fact-Finding Fact-Finding Techniques for Techniques for Requirement Requirement

DiscoveryDiscovery

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Key ConceptsKey Concepts System RequirementsSystem Requirements

Functional and Nonfunctional Functional and Nonfunctional RequirementsRequirements

Fact-Finding Techniques.Fact-Finding Techniques.

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Introduction to Introduction to Requirements DiscoveryRequirements Discovery

Requirements discoveryRequirements discovery – the process and – the process and techniques used by systems analysts to identify techniques used by systems analysts to identify or extract system problems and solution or extract system problems and solution requirements from the user community. requirements from the user community.

It is a formal process of using techniques to It is a formal process of using techniques to collect information about system requirementscollect information about system requirements

It is also called information gathering.It is also called information gathering.

System requirementSystem requirement – something that the – something that the information system must do or a property that it information system must do or a property that it must have. Also called a must have. Also called a business requirementbusiness requirement..

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Introduction to Introduction to Requirements DiscoveryRequirements Discovery

Requirements discoveryRequirements discovery includes those includes those techniques to be used by systems analysts to techniques to be used by systems analysts to identify or extract system problems and identify or extract system problems and solution requirements from the user solution requirements from the user community. community.

Problem analysis is the activity of identifying Problem analysis is the activity of identifying the problem, understanding the problem the problem, understanding the problem (including causes and effects), and (including causes and effects), and understanding any constraints that may limit understanding any constraints that may limit the solution. the solution.


Criteria to Define Criteria to Define System RequirementsSystem Requirements

Consistent Consistent Complete Complete FeasibleFeasible RequiredRequired AccurateAccurate TraceableTraceable Verifiable Verifiable


Functional vs. Functional vs. Nonfunctional Nonfunctional RequirementsRequirements

Functional requirementFunctional requirement - something - something the information system must the information system must dodo

Nonfunctional requirementNonfunctional requirement - a - a property or quality the system must property or quality the system must havehave PerformancePerformance SecuritySecurity CostsCosts

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Results of Incorrect Results of Incorrect RequirementsRequirements

The system may cost more than projected.The system may cost more than projected. The system may be delivered later than The system may be delivered later than

promised.promised. The system may not meet the users’ expectations The system may not meet the users’ expectations

and they may not to use it.and they may not to use it. Once in production, costs of maintaining and Once in production, costs of maintaining and

enhancing system may be excessively high.enhancing system may be excessively high. The system may be unreliable and prone to The system may be unreliable and prone to

errors and downtime.errors and downtime. Reputation of IT staff is tarnished as failure will Reputation of IT staff is tarnished as failure will

be perceived as a mistake by the team.be perceived as a mistake by the team.7


Process of Requirements Process of Requirements DiscoveryDiscovery

Problem discovery and analysis Problem discovery and analysis Requirements discovery Requirements discovery Documenting and analyzing Documenting and analyzing

requirements requirements Requirements management Requirements management

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Requirements DiscoveryRequirements Discovery Given an understand of problems, the Given an understand of problems, the

systems analyst can start to define systems analyst can start to define requirements.requirements.

Fact-findingFact-finding – the formal process of – the formal process of using research, meetings, interviews, using research, meetings, interviews, questionnaires, sampling, and other questionnaires, sampling, and other techniques to collect information about techniques to collect information about system problems, requirements, and system problems, requirements, and preferences. It is also called preferences. It is also called information information gatheringgathering or or data collectiondata collection..

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Requirements Requirements ManagementManagement

Requirements managementRequirements management - the process - the process of managing change to the requirements. of managing change to the requirements.

Over the lifetime of the project it is very Over the lifetime of the project it is very common for new requirements to emerge and common for new requirements to emerge and existing requirements to change. existing requirements to change.

Studies have shown that over the life of a Studies have shown that over the life of a project as much as 50 percent or more of the project as much as 50 percent or more of the requirements will change before the system is requirements will change before the system is put into production. put into production.

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Fact-Finding EthicsFact-Finding Ethics Fact-Finding often brings systems analysts Fact-Finding often brings systems analysts

into contact with sensitive information.into contact with sensitive information. Company plansCompany plans Employee salaries or medical historyEmployee salaries or medical history Customer credit card, social security, or other Customer credit card, social security, or other

informationinformation

Ethical behavior Ethical behavior Systems analysts must not misuse information.Systems analysts must not misuse information. Systems analysts must protect information Systems analysts must protect information

from people who would misuse it.from people who would misuse it.

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Five Fact-Finding Five Fact-Finding MethodsMethods

Sampling of existing documentation, Sampling of existing documentation, forms, and databases. forms, and databases.

Research and site visits and Research and site visits and observation. observation.

Questionnaires. Questionnaires. Interviews. Interviews. Presentation or Prototyping. Presentation or Prototyping.

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Sampling Existing Sampling Existing Documentation, Forms, & Documentation, Forms, &

FilesFilesSamplingSampling –process of collecting a representative –process of collecting a representative

sample of documents, forms, and records. sample of documents, forms, and records. Organization chartOrganization chart Memos and other documents that describe the Memos and other documents that describe the

problemproblem Standard operating procedures for current Standard operating procedures for current

systemsystem Completed formsCompleted forms Manual and computerized screens and reportsManual and computerized screens and reports Samples of databasesSamples of databases Flowcharts and other system documentationFlowcharts and other system documentation And moreAnd more

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ObservationObservation

ObservationObservation – a fact-finding technique – a fact-finding technique wherein the systems analyst either wherein the systems analyst either participates in or watches a person perform participates in or watches a person perform activities to learn about the system. activities to learn about the system. Advantages?Advantages?

Disadvantages?Disadvantages?

Work samplingWork sampling - a fact-finding technique - a fact-finding technique that involves a large number of observations that involves a large number of observations taken at random intervals. taken at random intervals.

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QuestionnairesQuestionnaires QuestionnaireQuestionnaire – a special-purpose document – a special-purpose document

that allows the analyst to collect information that allows the analyst to collect information and opinions from respondents. and opinions from respondents.

Free-format questionnaireFree-format questionnaire – a questionnaire – a questionnaire designed to offer the respondent greater designed to offer the respondent greater latitude in the answer. A question is asked, latitude in the answer. A question is asked, and the respondent records the answer in the and the respondent records the answer in the space provided after the question. space provided after the question.

Fixed-format questionnaireFixed-format questionnaire – a – a questionnaire containing questions that questionnaire containing questions that require selecting an answer from predefined require selecting an answer from predefined available responses. available responses.

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Types of Fixed-Format Types of Fixed-Format QuestionsQuestions

Multiple-choice questions Multiple-choice questions Rating questionsRating questions Ranking questions Ranking questions

Rank the following transactions according to the amount of time you spend processing them.___ % new customer orders___ % order cancellations___ % order modifications___ % payments

The implementation of quality discounts would cause an increase in customer orders. ___ Strongly agree___ Agree___ No opinion___ Disagree___ Strongly disagree

Is the current accounts receivable report that you receive useful? ___ Yes ___ No 16


InterviewsInterviews

InterviewInterview - a fact-finding technique whereby - a fact-finding technique whereby the systems analysts collect information from the systems analysts collect information from individuals through face-to-face interaction. individuals through face-to-face interaction.

Find factsFind facts Verify factsVerify facts Clarify factsClarify facts Generate enthusiasmGenerate enthusiasm Get the end-user involvedGet the end-user involved Identify requirementsIdentify requirements Solicit ideas and opinionsSolicit ideas and opinions

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Types of Interviews and Types of Interviews and QuestionsQuestions

Unstructured interviewUnstructured interview –conducted with only a general –conducted with only a general goal or subject in mind and with few, if any, specific goal or subject in mind and with few, if any, specific questions. The interviewer counts on the interviewee to questions. The interviewer counts on the interviewee to provide a framework and direct the conversation. provide a framework and direct the conversation.

Structured interviewStructured interview –interviewer has a specific set of –interviewer has a specific set of questions to ask of the interviewee. questions to ask of the interviewee.

Open-ended questionOpen-ended question – question that allows the – question that allows the interviewee to respond in any way. interviewee to respond in any way.

Closed-ended questionClosed-ended question – a question that restricts – a question that restricts answers to either specific choices or short, direct answers to either specific choices or short, direct responses. responses.

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Prepare for the InterviewPrepare for the Interview

Types of Questions to AvoidTypes of Questions to Avoid Loaded questionsLoaded questions Leading questionsLeading questions Biased questionsBiased questions

Interview Question GuidelinesInterview Question Guidelines Use clear and concise language. Use clear and concise language. Don’t include your opinion as part of the question. Don’t include your opinion as part of the question. Avoid long or complex questions. Avoid long or complex questions. Avoid threatening questions. Avoid threatening questions. Don’t use “you” when you mean a group of people. Don’t use “you” when you mean a group of people.

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Discovery PrototypingDiscovery Prototyping

Discovery prototypingDiscovery prototyping – the act of – the act of building a small-scale, building a small-scale, representative or working model of representative or working model of the users’ requirements in order to the users’ requirements in order to discover or verify those discover or verify those requirements. requirements.

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Fact Finding Techniques

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