Systems Analysis & Design - Ch 3 - Requirement Gathering Techniques

Summary

This video covers five essential techniques for requirements elicitation in systems development: interviews, questionnaires, Joint Application Development (JAD), observation, and document analysis. It explores the strengths and weaknesses of each method, providing practical tips for implementation. Interviews are flexible but time-consuming, while questionnaires are efficient but often suffer from low response rates. JAD facilitates collaboration but requires careful coordination. Observation offers direct insights but may miss tasks outside the observed period. Document analysis is cost-effective for identifying non-functional requirements but can miss essential process details. The video helps students understand how to effectively gather and analyze system requirements.

Takeaways

• 😀 Interviews are the most commonly used technique for gathering requirements, where analysts collect information from individuals through face-to-face interactions.
• 😀 Effective interviewing requires preparation, adapting questions to the interviewee's role, and following up with probing questions to ensure clarity.
• 😀 Questionnaires allow analysts to collect information from a large number of respondents efficiently, but response rates can be low, and results may be harder to analyze when free-format questions are used.
• 😀 Joint Application Development (JAD) brings together key project stakeholders in a collaborative setting to define requirements, but it requires careful facilitation and can be costly and time-consuming.
• 😀 Electronic JAD (eJAD) helps overcome group dynamics issues, such as dominance and fear of reprisal, by allowing anonymous contributions and feedback, though it requires specialized software and a trained facilitator.
• 😀 Observation as a technique provides highly reliable data, as analysts watch users perform tasks in real-time, but it may not capture all activities and can be influenced by interruptions or stress conditions.
• 😀 Document analysis helps identify existing requirements and system processes by reviewing current documents like organizational charts or system manuals, but it may not provide insights into new or process-based functional requirements.
• 😀 Political issues and organizational dynamics, such as influential individuals or group consensus, should be considered during interviews and group sessions to ensure the project’s success.
• 😀 Preparation is critical for all requirements elicitation techniques to ensure effective use of time and resources, particularly when interviewing busy stakeholders or conducting observations.
• 😀 Each requirements elicitation technique has its strengths and weaknesses, and the best approach often involves combining multiple methods to ensure comprehensive understanding and accurate documentation of requirements.

Q & A

What is the main objective of the video on requirements elicitation techniques?

The main objective is to help students understand the role each requirements elicitation technique plays in gathering requirements and to enable them to define when and how to use each technique effectively.

Why is it important to focus on people skills in the requirements gathering phase?

Because requirements gathering is highly dependent on building good relationships and effective communication with stakeholders. Strong people skills ensure that stakeholders are engaged, willing to share information, and that the process runs smoothly.

What are the two primary types of interview questions mentioned in the script?

The two primary types of interview questions are open-ended questions, which help gather broad concepts and opinions, and closed-ended questions, which are used to confirm specific facts and details.

What is the difference between the top-down and bottom-up approaches in interviews?

In the top-down approach, the interviewer starts with broad questions and narrows them down to specifics, while in the bottom-up approach, the interviewer starts with detailed questions to collect specific information first and then broadens the scope.

What are some practical tips for conducting effective interviews?

Some practical tips include thorough preparation, taking notes during and after the interview, asking for clarification when necessary, being aware of non-verbal cues, and sending a summary of the interview to the participant for verification.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of using questionnaires for requirements gathering?

Strengths include the ability to gather data from a large number of people quickly, cost-effectiveness, and anonymity, which encourages honest responses. Weaknesses include low response rates, lack of flexibility to follow up on answers, and the inability to observe non-verbal cues.

What is Joint Application Development (JAD), and how does it work?

JAD is a structured group process that involves key stakeholders, such as managers and users, collaborating with systems analysts to define and agree on system requirements. It’s facilitated by a trained individual to ensure productive discussions and resolve conflicting perspectives.

What is the difference between traditional JAD and electronic JAD (eJAD)?

The main difference is that eJAD uses electronic tools to facilitate anonymous participation, which helps overcome group dynamics issues like dominance or fear of reprisal. It requires specialized groupware and can be run remotely, unlike traditional JAD, which is conducted in person.

Why is observation a useful technique in requirements gathering?

Observation is useful because it allows analysts to see the actual work process in action, which can provide more reliable data compared to interviews or questionnaires, especially when users are unable to accurately explain their tasks.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of using document analysis as a requirements gathering technique?

Strengths include ease of finding non-functional requirements and historical context about the system. Weaknesses include the challenge of identifying process-based functional requirements and the potential for outdated documents that may not align with current practices.

How can analysts ensure they collect accurate and useful data through observation?

Analysts should plan the observation carefully, obtain approval, inform participants of the purpose, and consider observing during different conditions, including busy or stressful times. They should also review their notes with the observed individuals to clarify any discrepancies.