Technology projects are complex. Technical requirements collection is initiated after the business need is first identified and can be done simultaneously with, or following, the collection and confirmation of the business requirements. Requirements refinement often continues after the project is approved.
A variety of inputs are used to prepare the technical requirements. A majority of inputs are the outputs from the business requirements collection and confirmation work stream. These include business process flow diagrams, use cases, and user interface (UI) wire frames and mockups. A second group of inputs comes from the current-state technology assessment. This assessment provides a complete understanding of the existing technical infrastructure. Additional inputs include the organization’s technology strategy, information about existing software product licenses, and budget considerations. Often, inputs are also subject to perception, bias, and stakeholder interests.
Iknow uses multiple strategies and techniques to elicit additional input directly from stakeholders.
- In-Person Collection (i.e., face-to-face interviews with one or more stakeholder groups). These “requirements” interviews can occur as one-on-one meetings or small-group brainstorming sessions. From our experience, interviews are most appropriate for projects with a small number of requirements contributors.
- Surveys. Questionnaires are designed to collect requirements from a larger group of stakeholders.
- Direct Observation. Direct interaction with customers or end-users is used to observe and identify requirements based on current workflows and practices.
After all of the requirements inputs have been collected, analyzed, and finalized, Iknow produces a comprehensive requirements specification document. This document is carefully reviewed by stakeholders and generally goes through several iterations before it is approved. The requirements document is often converted into technical specifications and inserted into an RFP for software product procurements.
Iknow will produce a comprehensive technical requirements document that lists and explains the desired technical requirements. Our technical requirements documents follow industry best practices and formats for technical writing, illustration, and documentation.
The technical requirements document is the foundation for supporting investments in KM-related software products. The quality, accuracy, clarity, and completeness of the technical requirements will directly impact the project’s overall level of effort, development time, and cost.