Requirement Collection

• Involve all stakeholder as earlier as possible, especially top management that make final decision
• Invite front-end staff that perform daily operation too in addition to user representative since they know every details
• Make sure different level and user group are covered
• Meeting invitation should be sent as early as possible
• If meeting not possible for all, consider sampling survey by questionnaire
• Check with user existing problems, bugs, limitation, comment, concern and expectation
• Check error log for hidden issue need to handle
• Check complaint, feedback or report so far, could be through staff interview
• On-site observation for particular unmentioned problem
• Role playing of particular user from different group or level to check if anything missing
• Perform focus group testing to see if any unaware behavioral preference needs to consider
• Use email or phone call to double check minor details
• Requirement of different user group may be contradicted and need to discuss
• Prototyping such as mock screen is easier for communication
• For large user group, let them to consolidate first to save time if tight schedule or extend time
• Seek permission for voice recording in meeting for double check of details only
• Consider to use AI technology to convert voice to text during meeting if allowed
• Write down requirement in details and send to user for double validation and confirmation
• Set deadline for requirement collection and remind user earlier
• Unless fatal or critical that affect normal system functioning, no additional requirement should be added that could delay project schedule seriously, handle at other phases or even project
• Requirement after deadline may consider back during implementation especially if critical
• Be responsive to user requirement if within scope, time and only minor effort is involved
• Explain to user excessive requirement could delay whole project
• Request schedule extension from user side if necessary for extra work
• Consider to adjust scope by user so as to meet schedule
• Prioritize requirement and record in requirement catalogue
• Check maximum number of user function would be used concurrently in a period or at a time
• Reconsideration by different angles and aspects to avoid missing items
• Don’t make assumption but check with user
• Global consideration across the project and all user team, and find the best arrangement
• Ask developer or designer to participate if necessary to see if easy or not to implement
• Is the requirement appropriate, worthwhile, and achievable? Are there other options?
• Reject or provide counter proposal sometimes if necessary
• Avoid instant messaging for formal communication
• Understand existing practice rationale behind and see if able to change
• Those desirable but not essential only implement when time is available
• Check non-functional performance requirement such as loading speed and response time
• Check priority, importance & dependency of requirements with reference to frequency of use
• Never confirm requirement without fully understanding
• Numbering requirement to facilitate communication
• Turn on amendment tracking function for word and excel
• Avoid requirement document overwritten after passing through many users
• Compile clean version document after confirmation each round if involve many users
• List out requirement but not implementation details otherwise endless
• Jargon and special operation require explanation
• Check related operation involving external system or other parties
• Identify staff involved in all process and flow to avoid missing verification or approval
• Check if process flow can be simplified, improved, more logical, or can remove unnecessary one
• Make sure requirement of different scenario or navigation path are considered
• Add back correct measures for extreme or special case, e.g., further amendment after approval
• Check if need to provide better feedback, help, hint or assistance especially for new staff, e.g. code
• After requirement collected, data, functional and business model would be created and documented in different specification for program development
• Avoid complaint between different users but focus on finding solution to issue
• Check with user on requirement using paper prototype or mockup screen that visualize the design and show all clickable elements, operation, basic program flow and the navigation path
• Unclear, misleading and contradicting requirement could lead to incorrect implementation and the change afterwards could delay the projects
• Use diagram to facilitate understanding & communication of work flow, e.g. process thread
• Collect peak, average, concurrent, minimum & maximum usage for size estimation
• Understand requirement better by trial on existing system
• Employ deep dive techniques such as brain storm or 5 whys (keep asking) to find out root cause
• Provide alternative proposal on some requirement to see if able to simplify implementation
• Double check and confirm by development and user team to make sure no missing
• Consult, discuss & confirm with users before written down to minimize amendment later on
• Limit scope to must have features, principles & guidelines but not too much implement details
• Check government standard, departmental guideline or legal obligation
• Check system documentation and handbook of business operation or rules
• Top management should voice out if any special request or concern but not till the end
• Different methods and tools to collect requirement proposed by different parties could also be used

For more details, please refer to the book Project Planning or System Development Instant Reference. It is available in ebook or print format in English, Japanese, Traditional and Simplified Chinese.