Task: Develop Technical Vision |  |
Define the vision for the future system. Describe the problem and features based on stakeholder requests.
Disciplines: Requirements
Purpose
The solution is proposed for a problem that everybody agrees on. Stakeholders collaborate with the development team to express and document their problems, needs, and potential features for the system to be, so the project team can better understand what has to be done.
Relationships
Roles | Primary Performer: Analyst | Additional Performers: Architect Project Manager Stakeholder
Inputs | Mandatory: None | Optional: Vision
Outputs | Glossary Vision
Steps
Identify Stakeholders
Identify the stakeholders: decision-makers, customers, potential users, partners, domain experts, industry analysts and other interested parties. Briefly describe what stakeholders do and what their responsibilities are with regard to the system being developed.
Gain agreement on the problem to be solved
Avoid rushing into defining the solution. First, gain agreement on the definition of the problem by asking the stakeholders what they see as the problem. Then search for root causes, or the "problem behind the problem". Use appropriate requirements gathering techniques. Formulate the problem statement. The purpose of this is to help you distinguish solutions and answers from problems and questions.
Gather stakeholder requests
Use the most appropriate technique to help you on requirements gathering. Each technique is applicable in a particular situation or to a certain type of stakeholder. If you can meet stakeholders in person, then you can conduct an interview or a brainstorming session. This face-to-face collaboration is extremely valuable and reduces the chances of the project team misunderstanding the needs of the stakeholders. Some requirements might already be documented in other work products (such as in change requests or work items). This can often be used as a solid starting position from which a full set of requirements can be created.
Define the scope of the solution
Analyze the scope in terms of processes, organizations, and systems.
Define features of the system
Work with stakeholders to capture a list of features that stakeholders want in the system, briefly describing them and giving attributes to help define their general status and priority in the project.
Achieve concurrence
Conduct an effective requirements review with stakeholders and the development team to ensure agreement on the project vision, assess quality, and identify required changes.
Capture a common vocabulary
Every project has its own specialized terminology that everyone on the team must understand well to communicate effectively with stakeholders. Work with stakeholders to create a glossary that defines acronyms, abbreviations, and relevant business and technical terms. Work with stakeholders to continually expand and refine the glossary throughout the project lifecycle.
Key Considerations
Use-case modeling is one technique that can prove useful in defining the system boundaries and system behavior.
More Information
Checklists | Vision
Concepts | Requirement Attributes
Guidelines | Effective Requirement Reviews Requirements Gathering Techniques
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