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7 – REQUIREMENTS
It sounds obvious, but it should be clear what the project is for, and what the client’s requirements are. That doesn’t just mean requirements around what goes into the project output. There can also be important requirements about how the project is to be carried out. So we need to know how to define project requirements in the fullest sense.
Requirements set the boundaries of the project
7.1 – Why requirements are vital
Learn how to define project requirements. That means translating your desired benefits into the basic requirements for both the output, and how the project will deliver it. Those requirements will have a big influence on the shape of the project itself.
You will learn:
- How benefits lead back to requirements.
- What should the requirements for the project cover.
- What is the difference between specification and scope in a project.
- Why requirements need to be managed.
- How requirements shape the project.
- What are the different types of requirements.
- Which stakeholders really determine requirements.
- How requirements should be prioritised.
- How to make requirements clear.
How to discover what is required and expected
7.2 – Defining requirements
Discover why it can be extremely helpful to seek the views of the eventual end users. The architect Ralph Erskine listened to them when designing the Byker Wall housing development in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, seen in the video titles.
Less successful was the team collecting requirements for the Edsel car, whose research methods completely missed some essential consumer expectations.
Sometimes visionary leaders will ignore research, so certain are they of the way to go. Learn why Henry Ford and Steve Jobs did this with great success.
You will learn:
- How to understand the current situation.
- How to research project requirements.
- How to create an output specification.
- How to use a questionnaire to find project requirements.
- What ways there are to share ideas.
- What is the difference between a focus group and a workshop.
- Why are prototypes useful in developing project requirements.
- Why watching real users is useful in developing project requirements.
- What is a requirement breakdown structure? How to use a requirements breakdown structure?
How to keep requirements under control
7.3 – Managing requirements
See why requirements management is necessary to make sure the agreed requirements are met and any emerging requirements are properly screened before being incorporated. Good requirements management help to avoid scope creep, where requirements spiral out of control.
Another architect, Frank Gehry, conceived the organisation of the artist to counter this.
You will learn:
- What is the requirements confirmation process.
- How to confirm project requirements.
- How requirements influence how the project is organised.
- What is the project requirements management process.
- What is a statement of requirements in a project.
- How to handle changes in requirements.
- What is the cost of changing part of the output specification.
- What is scope creep.
- How scope creep can affect a project.
- What is Frank Gehry’s organisation of the artist.