CHAPTER 6

1. CHAPTER 6 REQUIREMENT DISCOVERY PART I

2. INTRODUCTION • Requirement discovery – includes those techniques to be used to by system analyst to identify or extract system problems & solution requirements from the user community. • System requirement – a description of the needs & desires for an information system that describes functions, features & constraints.

3. Functional requirement • A function or feature that must be included in an information system to satisfy the business need and be acceptable to the users. • Ex of functional requirement; • Calculate student’s GPA • Capture account holder’s information

4. Non-functional requirement • Description of the features, characteristics & attributes of the system as well as any limitations. • Classifications of non functional requirements; • Performance, information, economy, control (security), efficiency & services.

5. System requirements checklist • System requirement is features that MUST be included in the system to satisfy business requirements & acceptable to users. • They serve as benchmark. • 5 categories of requirements ; • Outputs • Inputs • Processes • Performances • Controls

6. Scalability & total cost of ownership • Scalability • The ability to adjust system capacity as business requirements change in the future • Transaction volume has a significant impact on operating costs. When volumes exceeds the system’s expectations, maintenance cost increases sharply. • Data storage is an important concern as well • Total Cost of Ownership (TOC) • Important to identify & document indirect cost as chances for system that may seem inexpensive initially might turn up to be the most expensive one!

7. Fact finding • Overview • First step is to identify the information needed by asking a series of questions, then carry out the fact finding technique & document the results. Finally prepare a system requirement document to be presented. • Who, What, When, Where & How?

8. Fact finding techniques • Sampling • Sampling might include ; records, reports, operational logs, data entry documents, complaint summaries, work request. • Sample techniques include; systematic sampling, stratified sampling & random sampling. • Document review • Provide better understanding how the current system is supposed to work • System documentation sometimes out of date so changes are done, resulting in the change on documented procedures.

9. Fact finding techniques • Research • Includes; reviewing journals & books to obtain background information, technical material & news about industry trends & developments. • Internet is becoming one of the most preferred research tools through the search engines. • Observation • Observation of the current working system gives you additional perspective & better understanding of the system procedures. • It can also provide the knowledge needed to test & install future changes.

10. Fact finding techniques • Advantages of observation • Data gathered is highly reliable • Analyst can see what is exactly being done • Observation technique is inexpensive. • Allows the analyst to do work measurements. • Disadvantages of observation • Hawthorne experiment proves that the act of observation can alter behaviour so you may not get accurate data since they might perform differently. • Work being observed may not include the level of difficulty or volume normally experienced. • The task being observed is subject to various interruptions • Some tasks may not be performed in the manner in which the analyst observed .

11. Fact finding techniques • Observation guidelines • Determine the who,what,when,how & why of the observation. • Obtain permission from appropriate supervisors / managers • Inform those whom will be observed of the purpose of the observation • Keep a low profile • Take notes during / immediately following the observation • Do not interrupt the individual at work • Do not focus heavily on trivial activities • Do not make assumptions • Review observation notes with appropriate individuals.

12. Fact finding techniques • Discovery prototyping • The act of building small scale or working model of the users requirements to discover / verify those requirements. • Prototyping is most useful when; • User requirement is not clear or well understood. • One or few users & stakeholders are involved with the system • Possible designs are complex & require concrete form to fully evaluate • Communication problem have occurred in the past between users & analyst • Tools & data are readily available to rapidly build working system.

13. Fact finding techniques • Process of prototyping • Identify basic requirements • Develop initial prototype • Review • Revise & enhancing prototype. • Advantages of prototyping • Reduced time & cost • Improved & increased user involvement\ • Disadvantages of prototyping • Insufficient analysis • User confusion of prototype & finished system • Excessive development time of the prototype. • Expense of implementing prototyping

14. Fact finding techniques • Dynamic System Development Method (DSDM) • A framework for delivering business solution that relies heavily upon prototyping as a core technique. Expanding upon most understood definition of prototype. • DSDM prototypes intended to be incremental, evolving from simple form into a complex one. • 4 categories of prototypes as recommended by DSDM; • Business prototypes – to define & demonstrate business processes being automated • Usability prototypes – to define & refine user interface design look, feel, usability etc • Performance & capacity prototypes – predict how system will perform under peak loads & evaluate non functional aspects. • Capability/technique prototypes – evaluate a design approach or concept.

15. Fact finding techniques • Joint Requirement Planning (JRP) • A technique for drawing out user requirements through joint planning sessions of software users & information technology personnel. • Provide an open environment for people to discuss what they do, how they do & what critical information they need etc. • End product will be a written documentation • Joint Requirements Planning (JRP) participants • Individuals involved in JRP session includes sponsor, facilitator, users & managers, scribe & IT staff

16. Fact finding techniques • Sponsor – individual from top management who has authority that spans across departments. • Facilitator – responsible for leading all sessions that are held for a systems project • Users & managers – responsible to give information relating to the business process to be automated. • Scribes – responsible to keep records pertaining to everything discussed in the meeting using CASE tools. • IT staff – responsible to develop models & other documentations related to facts communicated during the meeting.

17. Fact finding techniques • Steps to plan JRP session • Involves 3 steps; • Selecting a location – if possible JRP sessions to be conducted away from the company workspace, so that they can concentrate better. Room should have pc, writing utensils, projectors, white board etc • Selecting the participants – analyst, sponsors, managers, users, IT staffs & scribes are all included. • Preparing the agenda – preparation is the key to JRP sessions. Facilitator to prepare agenda for all that dictates; • The opening - expectation of the session & rules • Body – detail of topics & issues addressed • Conclusion – summarize the day’s session & remind about the unsolved issues.

18. How to conduct a JRP session • Starts with opening remarks, introductions & a brief overview of the agenda & objectives for the session. • Facilitator will direct the meeting using the prepared agenda & they follow these guidelines; • Do not deviate from the agendastay on schedule • Ensure the scribes able to take notes • Avoid the use of technical jargon • Apply conflict resolution skills • Allow for ample breaks • Encourage group consensus • Allow everyone to participate without dominating the session.

19. Brainstorming • A technique for generating ideas in a short time during a group meeting. • Guidelines ; • Isolate participants in a room • Make sure all understand the problem & issues • Appoint 1 person to record ideas to be viewed by all • Remind everyone of the brainstorming rules • Call out their ideas spontaneously • Analyze those ideas only after all run out of ideas then improve it further. • Emphasize on the quantity of the ideas not quality! • No criticism

20. Brainstorming sequence • One member should review the topic of brainstorming using why, how / what question • Everyone should think about the question silently & record their ideas on a piece of paper • Everyone suggest ideas by calling them out or go around the room having them read all of their ideas before the next person starts. • One member writes down all the ideas on the board • Making final decision • When all ideas have been recorded, combine ideas as much as possible if the contributor agrees. • Each member votes on the ideas & chooses which one should be given priority

21. Benefits of JRP] • Encourage partnership between business & software experts • Enable the business side to identify & define their need for a software • Reducing design & development time by clarifying software requirements up front • Driving software architecture & platform decisions • Lowering deployment & maintenance cost by resolving issues early in the SDLC • Improve the quality of the solution by combining the ideas of variety of people. • Increasing end user & project team knowledge of the system & satisfaction with the result.