Define and Elaborate Requirements
This process concentrates on refining and documenting requirements and other product-related information. The aim is to provide the necessary detail, format, and formality for diverse stakeholders. There are two main advantages of this process:
Clarifying the product details so that teams can effectively utilize the information.
Storing the product details in a way that ensures stakeholders can easily access and utilize them.
The process is complex and multifaceted, and business analysts are primarily recognized for performing it. The steps involve:
- Analyzing information from elicitation.
- Using model analysis.
- Undertaking relationship and dependency analysis.
From this, requirements are identified and documented. Depending on where it's applied – portfolios, programs, or projects – the depth and detail might differ. For instance, there's usually more detail in programs and projects than in portfolios. If an adaptive approach is employed, this process can be used to elaborate user stories for any requirement types. Moreover, the process aids in defining attributes of the requirements.
This process also produces supporting product details like assumptions, constraints, dependencies, related issues, and product risks.
Iterative execution is a feature of this process. When any type of requirement is specified, it can reveal other relationships, dependencies, or gaps that call for more elicitation or model analysis. This process can occur simultaneously with others like Verify Requirements, Validate Requirements, Prioritize Requirements and Other Product Information, and Identify and Analyze Product Risks. Additionally, when defining user stories or requirements, it might be suitable to outline acceptance criteria, hence the Define Acceptance Criteria process might be executed alongside this.
Ultimately, through repeated iterations of the Define and Elaborate Requirements process, a reasonably comprehensive set of requirements is formed for the project life cycle. This could lead to well-defined user stories or thoroughly detailed functional requirements.
This activity encompasses defining all sorts of product data, and not just the requirements. Some of these include:
Assumptions: These are factors related to various aspects of the business or solution that are taken as given without evidence. It's essential to track them because they can turn out to be false, altering the course of events. If an assumption is proven true, it's no longer an assumption and can be removed.
Constraints: These are factors that impact the functioning of portfolios, programs, projects, or processes. In business analysis, they affect the creation or application of a solution. One example is business rules.
Dependencies: These are contingent factors upon which requirements depend. They provide support or control the requirements.
Issues: These are subjects or discussions related to requirements or other product data. It's crucial to document these and monitor them until they are resolved to ensure complete requirements.
Product risks: These are potential events or conditions that might positively or negatively impact the product. Risk analysis can sometimes be carried out alongside this process.
Collectively, all these product details make up what's termed a 'requirements package.' This package isn't necessarily a formal document. It could be evolving user stories in a backlog or details in a requirements management tool. The requirements package's formality and detail are guided by the project life cycle and stakeholder needs, both of which are established during planning activities.
Inputs
Analysis Approach
The Analysis Approach provides a detailed framework or method to understand, evaluate, and interpret the confirmed elicitation results. It establishes how the business analyst will approach the analysis of information, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.
Analysis Models
Analysis Models are visual or textual representations of information. They help in simplifying complex concepts, capturing relationships, and identifying gaps or inconsistencies. These models can range from process flows, data models, to state diagrams, and are pivotal for clear understanding and communication.
Confirmed Elicitation Results
Confirmed Elicitation Results are the outcomes of the elicitation process that have been validated by stakeholders. They serve as the raw material on which further analysis is based, ensuring that the derived requirements align with the stakeholders' needs and expectations.
Relationships and Dependencies
Understanding Relationships and Dependencies is crucial to ensure that the requirements identified are not looked at in isolation. It gives context to how a particular requirement might impact or be impacted by another aspect of the project or system.
Stakeholder Engagement and Communication Approach
The Stakeholder Engagement and Communication Approach ensures that there is a clear plan on how and when to engage with stakeholders. This strategy ensures that the stakeholders are aligned, informed, and engaged throughout the requirements definition and elaboration process.
Tools and Techniques
Business Rules Catalog
The Business Rules Catalog is a collection of business rules that govern the operations of an organization. It serves as a reference point to ensure that the requirements adhere to the established norms and guidelines.
Definition of Ready
The Definition of Ready provides a clear set of criteria that a requirement must meet before it can be considered ready for implementation. This ensures that all prerequisites are met, and stakeholders have a shared understanding of the requirement's completeness.
Glossary
The Glossary is an essential tool for ensuring consistency in terminology. It provides definitions for terms and acronyms used in the project, ensuring that all stakeholders have a shared understanding of the language used.
Product Backlog
The Product Backlog is a prioritized list of features, enhancements, and fixes that need to be developed. It serves as a living document that guides the development team in delivering value iteratively.
Requirements Management Tool
A Requirements Management Tool is software or a system used to capture, track, and manage requirements throughout their lifecycle. It ensures traceability, version control, and efficient collaboration among stakeholders.
Story Elaboration
Story Elaboration is the process of breaking down a user story into detailed tasks or acceptance criteria. It ensures that the development team has a clear understanding of what needs to be delivered.
Story Slicing
Story Slicing involves breaking down a user story into smaller, more manageable pieces. This ensures that each slice delivers value and can be developed and tested within an iteration.
Use Case
A Use Case provides a detailed description of how a user interacts with a system to achieve a specific goal. It captures the sequence of interactions, including alternative and exception paths.
User Story
A User Story is a simple, concise description of a feature from an end-user perspective. It focuses on the value delivered and serves as a basis for discussions, clarifications, and elaborations.
Outputs
Requirements and Other Product Information
This output encompasses the detailed requirements and related information that will guide the product's development. It ensures that all relevant details are captured, and there's a shared understanding among stakeholders about what needs to be built and delivered.