requirements gathering: what could possibly go wrong?

Requirements Gathering:What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Dr Eugene O’Loughlin

Elicitation

Agenda

• Perception• Planning• Common problems facing BA• Project failures• Poor requirements• Methodology• Overcome problems• Lessons learned

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Perception

What do you see in this picture?

Business Analysts are Organized People?

• Organized• Methodical• Planned

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Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail

• The best or “alpha” project managers spend more time on every PM process group than their counterparts except for execution, as follows:

• Initiating: 2% vs. 1%• Planning: 21% vs. 11%• Executing: 69% vs. 82%• Controlling: 5% vs. 4%• Closing: 3% vs. 2%1*

What the top 2% know that everyone else does not

Andy Crowe, Alpha Project Managers: What the Top 2% Know That Everyone Else Does Not, Velociteach Press (2006).

10

8 key areas were identified where alpha project managers shine:

1. Attitude and belief2. Communication3. Alignment with the organization4. Approach and organization5. Priority management skills6. Issue Management7. Relationships and conflict8. Leadership

Competencies

Paul, Yeates & Cadle (2010) p17

Six Common Problems Faced By A Business Analyst

1. Resistance in sharing information

2. Irregular attendance

3. Accountability for decisions

4. Resolving user conflicts

5. Real needs vs. perceived needs

6. Changing needs

Source: BA Times Overcome?

The Top Challenges Facing Business Analysts

Source: Business Improvement Architects

Project Failures

Source: http://www.pmsolutions.com/collateral/research/Strategies%20for%20Project%20Recovery%202011.pdf

Survey (2011)

Federal Bureau of Investigation

US Census Bureau – Field Data Collection Automation (FDCA)

Swedish Navy

Why Projects Fail – Poor Requirements

• Most business requirements approaches fail on two dimensions1. Lack of a true process orientation

2. Lack of understanding of the neuroscience involved in requirements definition

Being asked what you want out of a system is like being asked what you want out of life! Where do you start? What are the parameters?

Impact of Poor Requirements

If business analysts provide subpar requirements, it causes a wide range of negative consequences not only for the current project but for the business as a whole.

Methodologies

Business Analysis Body of Knowledge

…BABOK Guide…should not be construed as a methodology for the performance of business analysis.

(BABOK p6)

BABOK = Panacea?

BABOK – works “most of the time”

Source: BABOK p1

Some Strategies (Austin, Runk, & Waters 2009)

Some Strategies (Austin, Runk, & Waters 2009)

Source: http://delphi.com/pdf/techpapers/2009-01-0529.pdf

Flaws

Five common errors in requirements analysis

1. Customers don't (really) know what they want

2. Requirements change during the course of the project

3. Customers have unreasonable timelines

4. Communication gaps exist between customers, engineers and project managers

5. The development team doesn't understand the politics of the customer's organization

Source: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/five-common-errors-in-requirements-analysis-and-how-to-avoid-them

SAME O' SAME O'.…

• Every project is different, but…• Same people• Same Team Lead• Same Project Manager• Same agendas• Same customs• Same needs

Negotiate – Polite – Change

Lessons Learned

• What works in Manufacturing will not work in Finance• One-to-one interviews “brilliant”, especially if you want

to know a process• Workshops only work if you bring in people from all

departments• Use Visio for step-by-step walkthroughs• Use templates• Read legislation• Get on with the Project Manager• Know the issues, risks, and dependencies

Learning from our mistakes

• “The hardest mistakes to learn from are those that lack consequence.” 

Jasper Sole

• “No one is exempt from the rule that learning occurs through recognition of error.” 

Alexander Lowen

QQI Certificate in Business Analysis

• More information at:• www.businessanalyst.ie• www.ncirl.ie

My Book

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Improvement Priorities

Identification

Decision Making

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Resource Planning

Process Improvement

Controlling and Improving Processes

Performance Measurement

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Importance/Performance

Requirements

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Contact Me

eoloughlin@ncirl.ie

@eoloughlin

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