There are many tools in my BA Toolbox, but there are a few I use more than the rest. Think of the handyman that just did some work at your house or office. They come with a truck full of tools, but it seems like their hammer is always by their side. That is how I feel about the Requirements Work Plan (RWP).
Whether I am engaged in a 12 month project or a 2 week project I create a RWP. The 12 month project requires a detailed RWP that is reviewed by other team members and key stakeholders. The two week project RWP is usually documented on a cocktail napkin.
It is not just me that finds requirements planning important. The IIBA, http://www.theiiba.org/, has a knowledge area in the BA Body of Knowledge dedicated to requirements planning and management. This is one of six knowledge areas, which indicates the industry feels requirements planning is important.
Some of the items to include in your RWP are as follows:
- Project Type
- Project Scope
- Project stakeholders and their role on the project
- Requirements activities/tasks/deliverables and time and duration estimates for each
- Identify milestones in the above activities for development and delivery of requirements
- Requirements assumptions and risks
All of this information should fit into the project plan and schedule and will be updated as the project moves long. Once the project is complete store the actual data to help plan for the next project.
One question we all get is "How long will it take to complete requirements?" If you use this tool, you will begin to answer the question with confidence.
December 26th, 2006 at 2:32 am
Hello Kupe,
RWP, is fine. Need to know is there any other document that BA should prepare; coz my organization drafts all use cases and prepares BRD (business requirement document) in word format descripting all of them. Whereas I am familiar with the tool Analyst - Pro. We do prepare Vision document, SOW (scope of work) ERD’s.
Well, the way you have ellaborated the RWP and it’s contents is really encouraging.
Thanks & Regards
Syed Mumshad Ali
December 27th, 2006 at 11:15 am
Thanks for the note. If you have not already been to our downloads page, http://www.b2ttraining.com/page/ba-downloads, there are other documents that are helpful for the BA’s. In our requirements package template you will see the critical BA documents.
As for tools, read my blog about purchasing a requirements management tool, http://www.b2ttraining.com/page/business-analyst-blog/archives/60/looking-to-buy-a-requirements-management-tool-read-this-first.
Regards,
Kupe
September 9th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Can any one help me understand the difference betwwen RWP (requirment work plan) and Project charter or project plan.
Thanks
Savita
September 9th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Hi Savita,
A RWP or business analysis work plan is a detailed list of tasks, deliverables, and time and duration estimates for the business analysis effort. This plan should be incorporated in the overall project plan. The BA should use the project charter to help understand the project objectives in order to determine the tasks to accomplish the work and deliverables to develop.
Does that help clarify?