Chapter_3_Task_1

Requirements Gathering Requirement gathering is an iterative process that involves interacting with the client to gain consensus on the details of those requirements. There is no one perfect method for gathering and analyzing requirements. The most appropriate method for gathering requirements differs from project to project. Some commonly used techniques for gathering requirements are: Interviews Prototyping Use Case Analysis User Stories Workshops Interviews Interviews are used to gather information. However, the predisposition, experience, and skill of the person being interviewed needs to be taken into account because these elements have a tendency to prejudice information obtained in the interview. One approach to alleviating possible bias would be the use of context-free questions by the interviewer. Prototyping Prototyping is a technique for building a quick and rough version of a desired system or parts of that system. The prototype illustrates the system capabilities to users and designers. It serves as a communications mechanism to allow reviewers to understand interactions with the system. In some cases, prototyping can give the impression that developers are further along in the development of the project than is actually the case which can give users unrealistic project completion expectations. Use Case Analysis A Use Case Analysis is a narrative document that describes the sequence of events a user uses a system to complete a process. Use cases are meant to capture the intended behavior of the system being developed, without specifying how that behavior is implemented. A use case diagram can be used to depict the business functionality, at a high-level, that the system will support. User Stories User Stories are a simple approach to requirements gathering that shifts the focus from formal written requirements documentation to conversation that enables a project to be more responsive from its inception. User stories differ from Use Cases in that User Stories are written by the customers outlining functions that the system should be able to perform and User Stories consist of only a few sentences of written text. Workshops Requirements gathering workshops provide an opportunity for individual perspectives to be shared, refined, and combined in ways that will benefit and develop upon business requirements. Participants walk away with a better understanding of the issues and as a result may feel a stronger sense of commitment and ownership to the project.