Requirements GatheringRequirements Gathering

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Alan Dennis, Barbara Wixom, and David Tegarden

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Slides by Fred NiedermanEdited by Solomon Negash

Slide 2

Key IdeasThe goal of the analysis phase is to truly understand the requirements of the new system and develop a system that addresses them.The first challenge is finding the right people to participate.The second challenge is collecting and integrating the information

Two techniques for gathering information:

InterviewsJAD sessions

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Interviews -- Five Basic Steps

Selecting intervieweesBased on information neededOften good to get different perspectives: managers, Users, and Ideally, all key stakeholders

Designing interview questionsUnstructured interview: broad, roughly defined informationStructured interview: more specific information

Preparing for the interviewConducting the interviewPost-interview follow-up

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Interview Preparation Steps

Prepare general interview planList of questionAnticipated answers and follow-ups

Confirm areas of knowledgeSet priorities in case of time shortagePrepare the interviewee

ScheduleInform of reason for interviewInform of areas of discussion

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Conducting the Interview

Appear professional and unbiasedRecord all informationCheck on organizational policy regarding tape recordingBe sure you understand all issues and termsSeparate facts from opinionsGive interviewee time to ask questionsBe sure to thank the intervieweeEnd on time

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Interview Tips and Follow-up

Tips for conducting the interviewDon’t worry, be happyPay attentionSummarize key pointsBe succinctBe honestWatch body languageListen

Post-interview follow-up:Prepare interview notesPrepare interview reportLook for gaps and new questions

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Types of Questions

Types of Questions Examples

Closed-Ended Questions * How many telephone orders are received per day?

* How do customers place orders?* What additional information would you like the new system to provide?

Open-Ended Questions * What do you think about the current system?* What are some of the problems you face on a daily basis?* How do you decide what types of marketing campaign to run?

Probing Questions * Why?* Can you give me an example?* Can you explain that in a bit more detail?

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Questioning Strategies

High LevelVery General

Medium-LevelModeratelySpecific

Low-LevelVery Specific

TOP DOWN

BOTTOM UP

EXAMPLES?

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Your TurnYou are interviewing the director of information systems for whom you are developing your term project

With your group, write 5 questions you would ask the information directorTake turns having one pair of students posing the questions to another pair of studentsBe sure to take notes and write up the results when you have finished.

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JAD Key Ideas

JAD advantagesAllows project managers, users, and developers to work togetherMay reduce scope creep by 50%Avoids requirements being too specific or too vague

JAD important roles:FacilitatorScribe (in-session scribe and minutes scribe)

JAD setting:U-Shaped seating, Away from distractionsWhiteboard/flip chart, Prototyping tools, and e-JAD

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JAD Meeting Room

JPEG Figure 5-5 Goes Here

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The JAD Session

Tend to last 5 to 10 days over a three week periodPrepare questions as with interviewsSet formal agenda and ground-rules (session norms)Facilitator activities

Keep session on trackHelp with technical terms and jargonRecord group input (use post-it notes with help from the users)Help resolve issues

Post-session follow-up

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Managing Problems in JAD Sessions

Reducing dominationEncouraging non-contributorsSide discussionsAgenda merry-go-roundViolent agreementUnresolved conflictTrue conflictUse humor

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More Analysis Techniques

Document analysis:Provides clues about existing “as-is” systemTypical documents: forms, reports, and policy manualsLook for user additions to formsLook for unused form elements

Observation:Supplements what users/managers don’t remember, checks validity in a different way, don’t ignore periodic activities: weekly, monthly, annually, etc.Behaviors change when people are watched

Questionnaires:Selecting sample participants to represent the populationSelect questions carefully when designing the questionnaireAdministering the questionnaire to increase response rateQuestionnaire follow-up, Send results to participants

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Selecting the Appropriate Techniques

Interviews JAD Questionnaires Document Observation Analysis

Type of As-Is As-Is As-Is As-Is As-IsInformation Improve. Improve. Improve. To-Be To-Be

Depth of High High Medium Low LowInformation

Breadth of Low Medium High High LowInformation

Integration Low High Low Low Lowof Info.

User Medium High Low Low LowInvolvement

Cost Medium Low- Low Low Low- Medium Medium

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Suggest how your term project should proceed in eliciting requirements.

Consider steps, techniques and goals, who and how.

How would you identify possible improvements?What possible improvements would you suggest?

Your Term Project

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Summary

There are five major information gathering techniques that all systems analysts must be able to use: Interviews, JAD, Questionnaires, Document Analysis, and Observation.Systems analysts must also know how and when to use each as well as how to combine methods.Additional resources for JAD:

http://www.carolla.com/wp-jad.htmhttp://www.utexas.edu/hr/is/pubs/jad.html