Elicitation Approach
It serves as a roadmap for how the process of Elicitation will be conducted within a project. An effective Elicitation Approach takes into account several factors to ensure a well-structured and efficient gathering of requirements.
What It Describes
What Information to Elicit: Specifies the kind of data or requirements that need to be gathered. This could range from functional requirements to business rules, or any other information critical to the project's success.
Where to Find Information: Identifies the sources from which this data will be gathered. These sources could be documentation, stakeholders, or systems.
How to Obtain the Information: Lays out the techniques that will be used for elicitation. This could include interviews, document analysis, surveys, etc.
When to Conduct Elicitation: Plans the timing for when these elicitation activities will take place within the project timeline.
Formality
The Elicitation Approach can vary in its level of formality depending on the life cycle of the project. In more formal life cycles, it might be referred to as an "elicitation plan" and be well-documented. In less formal situations, it may exist as a thought process. Regardless of the level of formality, the essential decisions and thoughts that go into planning the elicitation activities should be communicated to the project team to ensure alignment and awareness.
Planning and Preparation
Good planning is crucial for the elicitation activities to provide value. Before conducting these activities, it's important to prepare, including identifying who the participants will be. The participant list can be derived from this planning effort.
Influence on Analysis Approach
The Elicitation Approach is not an isolated activity; it often informs the Analysis Approach. The types of elicitation techniques used and their corresponding outputs might influence which analysis techniques will be considered suitable. Moreover, the timing of the elicitation activities can impact when related analysis activities will take place.
Timing and Concurrent Activities
It's important to note that elicitation does not have to be fully completed to start the analysis. Both activities are often performed in small increments and can be done concurrently. The timing for stakeholder involvement in the elicitation will affect when the analysis can be started based on the readiness of the elicitation outputs.
Elicitation Approach is a comprehensive plan that dictates how requirements will be gathered. It informs team members and stakeholders about what to expect and guides subsequent activities like analysis. It is a foundational element in the practice of Business Analysis and contributes significantly to the project's structure and efficiency.