Requirements Analysis The Startling Truth

1. Requirements AnalysisThe Startling Truth IIBA North West& East Event Tony Heap tony.heap@its-all-design.com

2. About Me • Freelance “Business Analyst Designer” • Based in Yorkshire • Clients include • ASDA/Walmart, Morrisons, Arcadia, NHS, BT, RWE Npower, Answer Consunting (aka UPCO), BJSS, Barclaycard, Egg • In my spare time… • www.its-all-design.com

3. Agenda • Today I will reveal the startling truth about requirements • Starting with a case study…

4. A User Story • As a… • Shareholder in a national grocery retailer • What I want is… • A better return on my investment • So that… • I can afford to buy a 2ndgeneration Nexus 7

5. CEO • How can I deliver • a better return on investments? • Options / components • Charge customers more • Pay suppliers less • Open more supermarkets • Expand into convenience stores • Go online • Do nothing [argue that return on investment is good enough already]

6. CEO • Decision • Expand into convenience stores • Go online • Next steps • Hire Head of Convenience • Hire Head of Online

7. Head of Online • How do I deliver • Online grocery shopping? • Options / components • Online platform (web) • Online platform (mobile) • Picking and packing capability • Home delivery capability • Click & collect capability • Customer service capability • Do nothing [argue that going online in the current climate is a bad idea]

8. Head of Online • Decision • Online platform (web) • Picking and packing capability • Home delivery capability • Customer service capability • Next steps • Engage IT department (Business Analyst) • Hire Head of Fulfilment • Hire Head of Customer Service

9. Business Analyst • How do I deliver • Online platform (web) • Options / components • Register • Log in • Browse products (not logged in) • Browse products (logged in) • Add product to trolley • Add product to wish list • …and so on • Do nothing [argue that we should be doing mobile instead]

10. Business Analyst • Decision • Register • Log in • Browse products (logged in) • Add product to trolley • …and so on • Next steps • Do next level of detail

11. BA – Next Level of Detail • How do I deliver • Register • Options / components • Capture customer name • Capture customer date of birth • Capture customer password • Password is at least 8 characters • Password contains non-alpha characters • Fingerprint authentication • …and so on • Do nothing [argue that customer doesn’t need to register to use the platform]

12. BA – Next Level of Detail • Decision • Capture customer name • Capture customer password • Password is at least 8 characters • Next steps • Engage UX Designer

13. UX Designer • How do I deliver • Password is at least 8 characters • Options / components • Display error after user submits • Display warning before user submits • Disable submit button until user enters 8 chars • Do nothing [argue to drop the feature because the complexity outweighs the benefit]

14. UX Designer • Decision • Display warning before user submits • Disable submit button until user enters 8 chars • Next steps • Engage developer

15. Developer • How do I deliver • Display warning before user submits • Options / components • Update the DOM with the warning text • Have a hidden DIV and make it visible/invisible using CSS • [OK so my web dev skills are a bit rusty…] • Do nothing [argue that the dev effort outweighs the benefit]

16. Cascading Levels of Detail

17. Business Process Hierarchy

18. Observations • Everyone is making decisions • Everyone is designing the business change • People work at different levels of detail • One man’s requirement is actually the previous man’s design

19. The Startling Truth • There’s no such thing as a requirement • Nothing is truly required • It’s all optional • It’s all part of a business change design • It’s all design

20. Business Needs • There’s no such thing as a business need • Everything is optional • Moving into online shopping is a conscious business decision • It is not a “need”

21. Inferences • Every “requirement” can, and should, be challenged • There are always options • The “do nothing” option should always be considered • The “underlying business need” can, and should, be challenged • To save the business from a doomed project

22. Problems with Language • If we call them “requirements” they are set in stone • If we distinguish between “requirements” and “design” we end up arguing about which is which and who does what • Google “requirements versus design”

23. A New Language • In • Design • Business change design • Business process design • Functional design • UX design • Technical design • Options • “Deciding what to build” (Cockburn) • As-is and to-be • Business objectives • Ideas, proposals, suggestions (for business change) • Out • Requirement • Business need • Problem (there are only opportunities) • Solution (since there are no problems)

24. Take Aways • Change in mind set • “I am a designer” • Change in language • “I am deciding/designing what to build” • More details • www.its-all-design.com • tony.heap@its-all-design.com