agile requirements: a primer for business analysts

GFS

Agile Requirements A Primer for Business Analysts

GFS

© Grassy Fork Software 20142

AudienceThis presentation is designed for Business

Analysts who have limited knowledge of Scrum/Agile and are:Interested in the topicWorking on an Agile projectMostly familiar with waterfall style

requirements

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A Very Brief History of Software Development

Expensive Computing time Software

Cheap People

3

1960s–1990s 1990s–today Expensive

People Cheap

Computing time Software

Conserve computing cycles Perfectly define requirements Perfectly design systems Perfectly written code, no defects No costly changes

Drove these

behaviors

What new behaviors?

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Waterfall is BornModeled after contemporary construction

and manufacturing methodsAlternative software development

methodologies did not yet existWorked for the time.It made perfect sense!

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Along Comes Agile

Scrum has roots as far back as 1993

The Agile Manifesto came about in 2001

Newer, cheaper technology made Agile possible

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RequirementsStructure

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Traditional Waterfall Requirements Model

CommonFunctional RequirementsNon-functional Requirements

FrequentHigh-level requirements (or features)Business RulesConstraints (project, technical, business, …)

RelatedFunctional Design (a.k.a. technical

requirements)

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Scrum/Agile Requirements ModelAgile terminology

EpicsUser StoriesAcceptance CriteriaTasksProduct BacklogsSprint Backlogs

Some will say that Agile does not have requirementsThis is incorrect, Agile does have requirementsNamed differently, timed differently, organized

differently

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Approximate Relationships

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Before We Go On…Do not take this mapping too literally.

Avoid “analysis paralysis”Don’t fret over getting everything “right”

In Agile you will need to: Learn to go with the flowLet the information evolveGet used to not having all the answers in the

beginningCollect just enough information to get startedLearn as the product evolves

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RequirementsDocumentation

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Where We Put RequirementsIn Waterfall

Many organizations still rely on documents, spreadsheets SRS, BRD, Use Cases, etc…

Some use requirements management toolsIn Agile

Product Backlog is keyApproach can be low-tech or high-tech

Depends on budget, team dynamics, skill, necessity

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Agile Requirements

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Agile Low Tech Approachepic

epic

story

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Agile High Tech ApproachThere are dozens and dozens of agile tools

availablePrices vary from free to costly

Not affiliated with or endorsing a specific tool or company

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RequirementsRoles

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Who Does the RequirementsIn Waterfall

A Business Analyst usually writes the requirements Could be other roles like the PM, BSA, SA, … Works with stakeholders and subject matter experts

In AgileThe Product Owner owns the backlog

Defines stories, makes decisions, grooms the backlog

Business Analysts usually needed to support the PO Product Owners often have other jobs, limited

availability The team defines tasks, estimates

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SmallerTeam

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Scales for LargerTeams

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RequirementsTiming

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When We Do RequirementsIn Waterfall

Most effort in the requirements phaseHeavy up-front requirements documentationExtra work in later stages in the form of changes

and defectsIn Agile

Effort is spread out across the lifecycleThere is not a clearly defined “phase” for

requirementsFocus on the highest value work firstBacklog grooming is important but often overlooked

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When We Do Requirements in Waterfall

It is perceived (and somewhat true) that the bulk of the requirements effort happens in the initial phase.

Requirements work still happens in later phases, but comes primarily in the form of changes and defects.

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When We Do Requirements in Agile

Initial Planning Many stories and epics discovered Enough detail for estimates

Release Planning Some stories and epics discovered, detailed

Sprint Planning Few more stories and epics discovered Should have enough detailed stories by

now to start the first sprint During Sprints

Product Owner continues to rank and groom the backlog

Keeping 1-2 sprints ahead of the rest of the team

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at Initial Planning after Release Planning

during Sprint Effort

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Thank you for your time and attention today!

www.grassyforksoftware.com

http://www.grassyforksoftware.com/

agile requirements: a primer for business analysts

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