Managing Requirements for Software and IT Projects
Course Outline:
Day 1:
• Module 1: Introduction to the workshop
o In this module, we will detail the course objectives and schedule and identify participant interests and concerns, roles and responsibilities
• Module 2: The definition of requirements and requirements challenges
o In this module, we will identify the definition of requirements, the types of requirements, and the differences between “what” and “how,” which can have a significant impact on the role of the project team and its ability to contribute value to the project effort. We’ll identify the challenges of requirements identification and management and the characteristics of good requirements. We will also identify the role of information technology lifecycles and the use of agile methods for requirements management, one of the critical success factors for information technology projects.
• Module 3: The creation of a requirements cycle
o In this module, we will describe the necessary elements of a requirements cycle for an information technology project. We’ll apply project planning techniques to create a set deliverables for the process including the major documents of requirements management and examine the requirements cycle identified by the IIBA®. Participants will be engaged in a discussion of the needs of their organizations and an exercise to create a requirements cycle that they can employ in their organizations and that adapts, to the degree possible but appropriate, to make use of agile methods.
• Module 4: Requirements risks
o In this module, we’ll examine the risks that attend the requirements management process, risks that, far more than other risk factors, impact information technology projects. We’ll describe risk management strategies and build a risk management plan that reduces the potential for negative requirements risks to impact our projects.
Day 2:
• Module 5: Managing requirements conflict
o In this module, we will identify the types of conflict that are embedded in requirements management for information technology projects. We’ll identify the normal, and unsuccessful, ways that information technology project teams use to deal with conflict and provide a better way to manage requirements conflict. Participants will be engaged in an exercise to improve their ability to employ those effective techniques.
• Module 6: Improving requirements communications
o In this module, we will examine ways to improve the communications within the requirements management process. We will describe techniques for working with stakeholders to establish consensus, report on requirements status, and manage key decisions. We’ll examine ways to manage diverse teams and communications and create communications that gain attention and manage expectations.
• Module 7: Requirements elicitation
o In this module, we’ll examine the techniques identified by the BABOK™ and other sources to elicit requirements for software and information technology projects and apply those techniques. We’ll examine the use of shadowing, interviewing, creating user stories, and surveying, and we’ll create a requirements list including supplementary requirements and requirements attributes.
Day 3:
• Module 8: Requirements analysis
o In this module, we’ll examine and apply the requirements analysis techniques identified by the BABOK™ and other sources. We’ll examine object-oriented models, user-focused techniques, and process models. We’ll create a requirements package to complete our analysis of the requirements we listed earlier and verify that our requirements are complete and clear.
• Module 9: Requirements verification
o In this module, we’ll describe the challenges of requirements communications and the problems we are likely to encounter as we attempt to develop consensus on requirements and get stakeholder signoff. We’ll also examine the tools for making sure our project results have met the requirements we have identified. We’ll build a requirements matrix for a public-sector project.
• Module 10: Requirements management tools
o In this module, we’ll describe the features and utility of requirements software and profile the differences among them. We will also identify requirements software that is available free-of-charge.
• Module 11: Workshop wrap-up
o In this module, we’ll wrap-up the workshop, make concluding comments, address remaining questions, and evaluate the workshop