Document Analysis
Document Analysis is an elicitation technique employed to scrutinize existing documentation for identifying information that is pertinent to requirements, business needs, or product information. The technique can serve multiple objectives across different phases and aspects of a project, such as Needs Assessment, Business Case Assembly, and Charter Development.
Applications in Different Contexts:
Needs Assessment: During the identification of problems or opportunities, document analysis involves examining various resources like strategic goals and objectives, performance results, customer surveys, and existing processes.
Business Case Assembly: It aids in compiling a business case by reviewing documentation from diverse sources, particularly the outputs generated from earlier Needs Assessment processes.
Charter Development: Document analysis can be applied to develop a project or program charter. It could include scrutinizing organizational charts to pinpoint potential stakeholders or evaluating existing business architecture models to understand areas impacted by the proposed change.
Benefits
Objectivity: Documentation is generally more objective than individual viewpoints.
Comprehensiveness: Documents may encapsulate information that no single individual possesses.
Context: Written documents often provide deeper background and explanations.
Efficiency: Existing documentation can serve as a foundational base, saving time in elicitation activities.
Current Information: Up-to-date documents offer insights into the existing structure and capabilities of a product.
Cautions
Accuracy: It's essential to ascertain the accuracy and relevancy of the information.
Outdated Information: Historical documentation should be used cautiously and understood in its context.
Cross-Referencing
- For validating the accuracy of elicitation results, document analysis can be used to compare against historical data or existing materials.