Requirements Analysis Techniques

Requirements Analysis Techniques

• There are 13 requirements analysis techniques:
  • Requirements Workshop
  • Functional Decomposition / DFD / Context Diagram
  • Data Modeling
  • Process Modeling
  • State Diagrams
  • Scenarios and use cases
  • Root cause Analysis
  • Sequence Diagram
  • Organizational Modeling/ SWOT analysis
  • Risk Analysis
  • Data dictionary/Glossary
  • Decision Analysis
  • Prototyping

Requirements Workshop

• Definition: A structured way to capture requirements
• Advantages:
  • Elicit detailed requirements in a relatively short period of time
  • Stakeholders can make decisions and gain a mutual understanding of requirements
  • Cost-effective solution compared to serial interviews
  • Feedback is immediate
• Disadvantages:
  • Stakeholder availability may hamper performance
  • The success of the requirements workshop is highly dependent on the expertise of the facilitator and knowledge of the participants
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis, Requirement Elicitation

Functional Decomposition

• Definition: Breaking down larger processes or functional areas into their components to analyze each part independently
• Creates a conceptual model of the work
• Provides all stakeholders with a consistent view of the scope of the effort
• Assists estimating
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis

Data Flow Diagrams

• Definition: A visual representation of how information is input, processed, stored, and output from a system
• Strengths:
  • Easy to understand
  • A useful analysis deliverable to developers in a structured programming environment
• Weaknesses:
  • Do not easily show who performs the work and alternative paths
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis, Requirement Documentation

Data Modeling

• Definition: Describes concepts relevant to a domain, their relationships, and information associated with them
• Advantages:
  • Flexibility of different levels of description
  • Consistent modeling approach that supports the transition through planning, analysis, design, and implementation
  • Accuracy in development
• Disadvantages:
  • Complex for non-technical backgrounds
  • Difficult for users to understand and relate to
  • Terms and definitions may vary in use in different organizational units or domains
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis, Requirement Documentation

Process Modeling

• Definition: Understanding how work that involves multiple roles and departments is performed within an organization
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis, Requirement Documentation, Business Solution Design

State Diagrams

• Definition: Shows how the behavior of a concept, entity, or object changes in response to events
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis, Requirement Documentation

Scenarios and Use Cases

• Definition: Describe the interaction between actors and the system and goals of the actors
• Provide high-level understanding of user behavioral goals, normal situations, alternative or exception paths through an activity diagram or use case scenarios
• Applicability: Requirement Elicitation, Requirement Analysis, Requirement Documentation

Root Cause Analysis

• Purpose: Determine the underlying source of a problem
• Provides a structured method to identify the root causes of identified problems
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis, Business Solution Design

Sequence Diagrams

• Definition: Model the logic of usage scenarios by showing the information passed between objects in the system
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis, Requirement Documentation

Organizational Modeling

• Definition: Describes the roles, responsibilities, and reporting structures that exist within an organization and align those structures with the organization's goals
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis

SWOT Analysis

• Definition: A tool to quickly analyze various aspects of the current state of the business process undergoing change
• Applicability: Business Bidding, Requirement Analysis

Risk Analysis

• Definition: Identify and manage areas of uncertainty that can impact an initiative, solution, or organization
• Applicability: Business Bidding, Requirement Analysis

Data Dictionary and Glossary

• Definition: Defines key terms and data relevant to a business domain
• Ensures that all stakeholders are in agreement on the format and content of relevant information
• Records consistently used terms
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis, Requirement Documentation

Decision Analysis

• Definition: Supports decision-making when dealing with complex, difficult, or uncertain situations
• Determines the expected value of an alternative scenario to the organization
• Provides quantitative measures to make investment decisions
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis, Requirement Documentation

Prototyping

• Definition: Describes user interface requirements and integrates them with other requirements such as use cases, scenarios, data, and business rules
• Advantages:
  • Stakeholders often find prototyping to be a concrete means of identifying, describing, and validating their interface needs
  • Supports users comfortable and effective at articulating their needs by using pictures
  • Early user interaction and feedback
  • An inexpensive means to quickly confirm requirements that go beyond just the interface such as processes, data, business rules
  • Can demonstrate feasibility with existing systems
  • Provide designers and developers a clear view of user interface needs
• Disadvantages:
  • Time-consuming
  • Assumptions need to be made to initiate prototyping
  • May lead users to develop unrealistic expectations
  • Users may focus on the design specifications of the solution
• Applicability: Requirement Analysis, Business Bidding, Requirement Elicitation

This quiz covers various techniques used in requirements analysis, including requirements workshops, data modeling, process modeling, and more. Test your knowledge of these essential analysis techniques.