requirements analysis the startling truth
DESCRIPTION
Requirements Analysis The Startling Truth. Tony Heap t [email protected]. About Me. Freelance “Business Analyst Designer” Based in Yorkshire Clients include ASDA/Walmart, Morrisons , Arcadia, NHS, BT, RWE Npower, Answer Consunting (aka UPCO), BJSS, Barclaycard, Egg - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
About Me
0 Freelance “Business Analyst Designer”0 Based in Yorkshire0 Clients include
0 ASDA/Walmart, Morrisons, Arcadia, NHS, BT, RWE Npower, Answer Consunting (aka UPCO), BJSS, Barclaycard, Egg
0 In my spare time…0 www.its-all-design.com
Agenda
0 Today I will reveal the startling truth about requirements
0 Starting with a case study…
A User Story
0 As a…0 Shareholder in a national grocery retailer
0 What I want is…0 A better return on my investment
0 So that…0 I can afford to buy a 2nd generation Nexus 7
CEO
0 How can I deliver0 a better return on investments?
0 Options / components1. Charge customers more
2. Pay suppliers less
3. Open more supermarkets
4. Expand into convenience stores
5. Go online
6. Do nothing [argue that return on investment is good enough already]
CEO
0 Decision1. Expand into convenience stores
2. Go online
0 Next steps0 Hire Head of Convenience0 Hire Head of Online
Head of Online
0 How do I deliver0 Online grocery shopping?
0 Options / components1. Online platform (web)
2. Online platform (mobile)
3. Picking and packing capability
4. Home delivery capability
5. Click & collect capability
6. Customer service capability
7. Do nothing [argue that going online in the current climate is a bad idea]
Head of Online
0 Decision0 Online platform (web)0 Picking and packing capability0 Home delivery capability0 Customer service capability
0 Next steps0 Engage IT department (Business Analyst)0 Hire Head of Fulfilment0 Hire Head of Customer Service
Business Analyst
0 How do I deliver0 Online platform (web)
0 Options / components1. Register
2. Log in
3. Browse products (not logged in)
4. Browse products (logged in)
5. Add product to trolley
6. Add product to wish list
7. …and so on
8. Do nothing [argue that we should be doing mobile instead]
Business Analyst
0 Decision1. Register
2. Log in
3. Browse products (logged in)
4. Add product to trolley
5. …and so on
0 Next steps0 Do next level of detail
BA – Next Level of Detail
0 How do I deliver0 Register
0 Options / components1. Capture customer name
2. Capture customer date of birth
3. Capture customer password
4. Password is at least 8 characters
5. Password contains non-alpha characters
6. Fingerprint authentication
7. …and so on
8. Do nothing [argue that customer doesn’t need to register to use the platform]
BA – Next Level of Detail
0 Decision1. Capture customer name
2. Capture customer password
3. Password is at least 8 characters
0 Next steps0 Engage UX Designer
UX Designer
0 How do I deliver0 Password is at least 8 characters
0 Options / components1. Display error after user submits
2. Display warning before user submits
3. Disable submit button until user enters 8 chars
4. Do nothing [argue to drop the feature because the complexity outweighs the benefit]
UX Designer
0 Decision1. Display warning before user submits
2. Disable submit button until user enters 8 chars
0 Next steps0 Engage developer
Developer
0 How do I deliver0 Display warning before user submits
0 Options / components1. Update the DOM with the warning text
2. Have a hidden DIV and make it visible/invisible using CSS
3. [OK so my web dev skills are a bit rusty…]
4. Do nothing [argue that the dev effort outweighs the benefit]
Cascading Levels of Detail
Who What How
CEO Better return on investment Go online[and more]
Head of Online Go online Online platform (web)[and more]
Head of IT Online platform (web) [build it ourselves]
Business Analyst [build it ourselves] Register[and more]
Business Analyst Register Password > 8 chars[and more]
UX Designer Password > 8 characters Display warning before submit[and more]
Developer Display warning before submit [tecchy stuff!!!]
Business Process HierarchyBe a Grocery
Retailer
Sell Groceries in Supermarkets
Buy GroceriesSell Groceries in
Convenience Stores
Sell Groceries Online
Take Orders via Web
Deliver to HomesProvide Customer
Service
Register
Verify Password > 8 Chars
Display Warning
Log In Add Item to Cart
Observations
0 Everyone is making decisions0 Everyone is designing the business change0 People work at different levels of detail0 One man’s requirement is actually the previous
man’s design
The Startling Truth
0 There’s no such thing as a requirement0 Nothing is truly required0 It’s all optional0 It’s all part of a business change design
0 It’s all design
Business Needs
0 There’s no such thing as a business need0 Everything is optional
0 Moving into online shopping is a conscious business decision
0 It is not a “need”
Inferences
0 Every “requirement” can, and should, be challenged0 There are always options0 The “do nothing” option should always be
considered0 The “underlying business need” can, and should, be
challenged0 To save the business from a doomed project
Problems with Language
0 If we call them “requirements” they are set in stone0 If we distinguish between “requirements” and
“design” we end up arguing about which is which and who does what
0 Google “requirements versus design”
A New Language
0 In0 Design
0 Business change design0 Business process design0 Functional design0 UX design0 Technical design
0 Options0 “Deciding what to build” (Cockburn)0 As-is and to-be0 Business objectives0 Ideas, proposals, suggestions (for business change)
0 Out0 Requirement0 Business need0 Problem (there are only opportunities)0 Solution (since there are no problems)
Take Aways
0 Change in mind set0 “I am a designer”
0 Change in language0 “I am deciding/designing what to build”
0 More details0 www.its-all-design.com0 [email protected]