Austin IIBA20 April, 2012The Rules of Requirements

International Institute of Business Analysis

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Scott Sehlhorst

Product management & strategy consultant

8 Years electromechanical design engineering (1990-1997)IBM, Texas Instruments, Eaton

8 Years software development & requirements (1997-2005)> 20 clients in Telecom, Computer HW, Heavy Eq., Consumer Durables

7 Years product management consulting (2005-????)>20 clients in B2B, B2C, B2B2C, ecommerce, global, mobile

Agile since 2001Started Tyner Blain in 2005

Helping companiesBuild the right thing, right

Why Do We Care…

…About Writing Good Requirements?

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Track Record (Standish Group CHAOS Report)

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Root Cause Analysis

Failure reasons

What have you seen?

Success factors

What have you seen?

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Root Cause Analysis

Failure reasons

Lack of user inputIncomplete requirementsChanging requirementsLack of exec supportTech. incompetence

Success factors

User involvementExec supportClear requirementsProper planningRealistic expectations

Rules of Requirements

1. Valuable2. Concise3. Design Free4. Attainable5. Complete6. Consistent

7. Unambiguous8. Verifiable9. Atomic10. Passionate11. Correct12. Stylish

1. Valuable Requirements

2. Concise Requirements

3. Design-Free RequirementsThis is really about trust.The “stack” of problem decomposition alternates between requirements and design.

A business is designed to focus on solving particular problems.A user designs an approach to solving problems.A product manager designs a set of target capabilities that (should) help the user and business.The engineering team designs solutions that embody those capabilities

4. Attainable Requirements

Can You Build It?Existing TeamAvailable TechnologyInternal Political Environment

Can You Launch It?Organizational DependenciesLegal Restrictions (National, Local, IP)

5. Complete Requirements

You Cannot Absolutely Determine Completeness

Objective AssessmentHave you identified all of the problems to succeed in the market?

Heuristic AssessmentHave you identified how to completely solve the problems?

6. Consistent Requirements

Strategic ConsistencyDoes this requirement work in concert with others to achieve our strategic goals?

Logical ConsistencyA requires BMust have AMust not have B

Grammatical ConsistencyWriting with the same tone, structure, phrasing…

7. Unambiguous Requirements

Language Introduces AmbiguityWhen Writing

Identify the user, the context, the goalBe precise in language (avoid jargon, symbols)

When ReadingShared language (e.g. “must” vs. “shall”)Read The Ambiguity Handbook and you’ll be forever paranoid about misinterpretation of everything you ever write again. Ever.

8. Verifiable Requirements

Does it Have a Measurable Aspect?If not, how do you know if you delivered?

Do You Know the Measure of Success?If not, how do you know what you need to deliver?

Do You Have the Ability to Measure It?Aha! Time to write another requirement.

9. Atomic Requirements

Every Requirement Stands on its Own

The Defining Characteristic:A Requirement Cannot Be Half-Done. It is Either Done, or Not Done.

10. Passionate Requirements

Be Excited. Be Committed.Care About

Your Customers & Their ProblemsYour Company & Its StrategyYour Team & Their EnrichmentYour Work & Its Quality

Have Passion…It Will Show in Your Requirements

11. Correct Requirements

Are You Focusing on the Correct

Market Segments, Customers, Problems?

Do You Know That These Are the Right Requirements?

Can We Achieve Our Goals Without These Requirements?

12. Stylish Requirements

Write Consistently And With Good Style->

Prioritize Explicitly Ordered Backlog, not MoSCoW

Write for Your Audience

Use Good StyleThe System Must…Intentional PerspectiveNon-NegativeReference, Don’t RepeatGender IndifferenceSyntactic Parallelism

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Thank You!

Scott Sehlhorsthttp://twitter.com/#!/sehlhorst Twitter

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Agile since 2001Started Tyner Blain in 2005

Helping CompaniesBuild The Right Thing, Right