Techniques for Eliciting Requirements

Introduction

• What is the role of a business analyst?
• Review the major tasks performed by the business analyst
• Define the essential skills needed to perform their tasks

Analysis Communication Skills

• Focus on specific communication skills necessary for eliciting requirements:
• Asking the right questions
• Conflict management
• Active listening skills
• Paraphrasing, mirroring, acknowledging

• Learn to use and determine the appropriate elicitation technique:
• One-on-one interviews
• Facilitated sessions
• Surveys
• Brainstorming
• Document analysis
• Focus group
• Job shadowing/observation
• Competitive analysis

• Learn effective communication skills: How should business analysts communicate with users? How should business analysts communicate with the technical team?
• Improve listening skills by recognizing common barriers to listening, understanding verbal and nonverbal messages, acknowledging the message, and responding with appropriate feedback.
• Improve your ability to develop in-depth, detailed questions for business area experts by identifying the appropriate source of information, deciding on an approach, and using clear, consistent language.
• Communicate effectively with remote/virtual teams.
• "Facilitation on the fly" techniques for agile team collaboration.
• Workshop - Conduct an interview.

Eliciting Requirements in a Group Setting

• Conduct highly effective and successful meetings
• Conduct facilitated information gathering sessions: understand the importance of session roles, session agenda, resulting work product, and session rules. Learn the difference between a facilitated session and a traditional meeting.
• Review an approach to group decision making and understand why consensus is preferable to compromise or a majority decision.
• Manage group discussions, manage group participation, work towards consensus, and manage group conflict.