Studies have repeatedly shown that well defined and well managed requirements form a firm foundation for successful projects and the resulting operational systems. Conversely, many projects fail as a result of deficiencies in the process of defining and managing requirements.
Course Objectives
This course aims to provide Analysts with a thorough treatment of the subject of Requirements Engineering and how to apply this knowledge in the context of Business Change and Software Development.
Who will the course benefit?
Analysts and any other Role responsible for defining Business and Applications Software Requirements.
What skills will the delegate gain?
This course will enable delegates to:
- Pick out and classify Functional and non-Functional Requirements.
- Iteratively progress and evolve the definition of Requirements.
- Analyze a business problem.
- Document Requirements as a Product set and individually.
- Cross-reference Requirements to other models involved in the development process, such as Process models, Class Models etc.
- Construct a Workflow diagram to represent Requirements.
- Interpret a Class model from a Requirements perspective.
- Pick out System Requirements as Use Cases.
- Identify Stakeholders and model their Viewpoints.
Pre-Requisites
No pre-requisites, it is however recommended that delegates have attended Business Analysis Essentials [BAE].
Change Life Cycle
The role of Requirements within the overall Change Life Cycle.
Nature of Requirements
- Functional vs Non-Functional Requirements.
- Discussion of the nature of Requirements and the problems and issues surrounding their definition and management.
Requirements and Problem Solving
- The place of Requirements alongside the other elements of Problem Solving: Problems, Objectives, Cause and Effect, Requirements, Solutions.
- The role of Creativity in Requirements Engineering. Objectives and factor analysis.
Requirements Engineering Lifecycle
- Trace out the Requirements Engineering Lifecycle in relation to the overall development Life Cycle.
- A look at the themes of Capture, Analysis, Negotiation, Validation etc.
- Requirements and Testing.
- Typical Non-Functional Requirements in IT based information systems.
Stakeholder Analysis
- Strategies for identifying Stakeholders and modelling their Viewpoints.
- Effect of Stakeholders on Requirements.
- Stakeholder Management plan.
Information Modelling
Explanation of the need for documentation of Business terms in a Glossary and the need to be able to interpret Class/Data models from a Requirements perspective.
Process Modelling
- How to express Business Requirements in Process Models.
- Documentation and diagrams representing various levels of Business Process Modelling.
IT specification with Use Cases
Use Cases as a way of expressing IT Functional and Non-functional Requirements, based on the analysis of Process models.
Managing Requirements
Sundry related Management topics.
Examinations
On completion of this course delegates may wish to sit for the ISEB examination Certificate in Requirements Engineering which counts towards the ISEB Diploma in Business Analysis. The exam is booked and attended separately to the course at a cost of £125 +VAT (S7X).