208 ASSIGNMENT 1

Q1. Comparison of Requirement Gathering Techniques.

In the software development lifecycle, requirement collecting is an essential step that
guarantees the end product meets customer expectations and demands.
The user or client in this case is an NGO called YOSA (Youth Summit Africa). Their
requirement is that we (my group, TaskJBD innovators) build a website for them.
INTERVIEWS
Interviews for requirement gathering is about detailed conversations with clients (the client in
this case is an NGO called YOSA). The aim or goal is to obtain detailed information on their
software requirements, and expectations. Interviews allow for in-depth investigation of
specific requirements and resolution of ambiguity. This technique ensures a complete
understanding of intended functionalities and potential challenges. It is effective at
uncovering insights that surveys or document analysis might miss.

STRENGTHS OF INTERVIEWS

In-depth Information: Interviews offer a depth of information that is frequently unequalled

by other methods, as well as comprehensive insights into the wants and preferences of the
user.

Personal Interaction: Interviews helps us to build a strong relationship with our client which
leads to a better understanding of their needs and requirements.

WEAKNESS OF INTERVIEWS

Time-Consuming: Conducting interviews is very time-consuming.

Limited Reach: Interviews involves a fewer number of people as compared to other

techniques, which might not represent the entire user base.

SURVEYS

Surveys involve gathering information from a large group of participants through structured
questions, aiming to collect quantitative and qualitative data about their opinions,
preferences, and experiences.

STRENGTHS OF SURVEYS

Broad Reach: Surveys can reach a large audience quickly and efficiently.

Cost-Effective: Compared to other techniques, surveys are relatively cheaper to administer.

Quantifiable Data: They provide quantifiable data that can be analysed to identify trends
and common requirements.
WEAKNESS OF SURVEYS
Limited Depth: The information gathered is often superficial and lacks the depth of insights
that interviews provide.
Misinterpretation: Questions can be misinterpreted by respondents, leading to inaccurate
data.
OBSERVATIONS
Observations entail directly observing users in their natural environment to understand their
behaviour, interactions, and challenges with a system or process.
STRENGTHS OF OBSERVATIONS
Realistic Insights: Observations provide insights into actual user behaviour and how they
interact with existing systems.
Unbiased Data: Since users are often observed in their natural environment, the data
collected is less likely to be influenced by the observer's presence.
WEAKNESS OF OBSERVATIONS
Limited Scope: Typically focuses on a smaller group of users due to the intensity of the
observation process.
Intrusive: Observing users can be intrusive and may alter their natural behaviour.
DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS OF DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
Baseline Understanding: Helps in building a baseline understanding of existing systems and
processes.
Historical Data: Provides access to existing documentation, such as business process
documents, user manuals, and system logs, which can offer a wealth of information.
WEAKNESS OF DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
Outdated Information: Documents might be outdated or fail to accurately reflect current
practices.
Lack of Context: They provide limited context about how systems are used, or the
challenges faced by users.

CONCLUSION: With reference to my group, interviews and surveys are the most suitable
requirement gathering techniques. It is easier and faster thus enabling us to build a strong
relationship with stakeholders. It can also lead to a better understanding of their implicit
needs and foster trust. Observations and Document analysis on the other hand will be very
difficult for us as a group to use.
Q2. Requirement Elicitation for E-commerce Mobile Application.

Objective: The objective is to gather accurate, and prioritized requirements for the
development of a mobile application for an e-commerce business, ensuring that all client’s
needs and expectations are met. To achieve this objective, we will use three techniques,
interviews, workshops, and surveys.

Elicitation Techniques

INTERVIEWS

The purpose of interview selection is to obtain in-depth understanding of the needs,

expectations, and concerns of stakeholders. Interviews allow for the examination of issues
and the clearing of uncertainties through direct engagement. This method works especially
well for revealing in-depth user stories that might not surface in group environments.

The main players in this process will be end users, customer care agents, and important
business owners. One-on-one interviews will be conducted with an emphasis on a variety of
topics, including functionality, user experience, problems with current systems, and requested
enhancements.

What challenges do you currently face with existing e-commerce platforms? This is one of
the questions that can be asked.

WORKSHOPS

Workshops are used because of their ability to support group brainstorming, enabling various
stakeholders to exchange concepts, go over specifications, and settle disputes immediately.
They facilitate the formation of consensus and encourage a sense of ownership among
stakeholders.

These sessions will be attended by a team comprising developers, UX/UI designers,

marketers, salespeople, and customer support agents. User stories, feature prioritization, and
requirements discussions will all be covered in interactive sessions.

Brainstorming sessions to generate ideas for innovative features is one of the activities that
can be held.

The data acquired from interviews is refined and validated with the aid of workshops. They
provide a balanced picture that considers a variety of viewpoints by enabling stakeholders to
prioritize requirements collaboratively.
SURVEYS

Because they are effective at collecting quantitative data from a wide range of stakeholders,
surveys are frequently used. They support the process of verifying hypotheses and setting
product priorities according to the preferences of a larger user base.

Present and potential users, as well as other pertinent parties, will be the main stakeholders in
the surveys. The design and distribution of structured questionnaires with an emphasis on
certain features, user preferences, and satisfaction levels will take place.

How often do you shop online using mobile apps, what improvements would you like to see
in our mobile app? This are questions that can be asked.

IMPLEMENTATION

Interview insights can assist uncover crucial pain points and must-have features. The
outcomes of workshops will be used to discuss and agree on priority levels. Survey results
will be utilized to guarantee consistency with larger user expectations.

Resolving Conflicts
To address requirement conflicts, we will conduct workshops using consensus-building
methodologies and create a decision matrix that will analyse conflicting requirements based
on criteria such as user value, practicality, and strategic alignment.

Example of Conflict Resolution:

If the marketing team wants in-app adverts but customers want ad-free experience, a
workshop session will be held to examine options. This could include using non-intrusive ad
placements or providing a premium ad-free edition. Survey results will be used to assess user
tolerance for advertisements and balance them against business needs.

3. Communication Strategies in Requirements Engineering

In requirements engineering, communication plays a critical role in understanding

stakeholder needs, establishing system functionality, and guaranteeing project success.
Communication techniques are essential at every stage of the requirements engineering
process, including elicitation, analysis, specification, and validation. In this section, I go over
these responsibilities, improve communication techniques, and give real-world instances of
communication problems and their fixes from previous project experiences.

Interaction within Requirements Elicitation Role: Communication has a crucial role in

determining how well stakeholders' demands are understood throughout the elicitation phase.
Those who will utilize the system, developers who create it, and project managers who
supervise it are all considered stakeholders.
Technique: Facilitated workshops and active listening are useful techniques. To gather
requirements for one of our projects, we arranged a series of workshops with all the relevant
parties. Real-time modifications to stakeholder inputs and prompt explanation of any doubts
were made possible by this direct connection.

Barrier: One major obstacle was the different vocabulary used by non-technical stakeholders
and technical developers.

Solution: To get around this, we ensured that everyone attending the workshops understood
the conversations without using technical jargon by using visual aids like diagrams and
prototypes.

In Requirements Analysis, Communication Is Key

The role of this phase is to negotiate and prioritize requirements in order to provide a clear
picture of what will be built.

Method: To keep everyone informed and involved, have regular status meetings and feedback
loops. In our projects, it was really helpful to have a shared platform where stakeholders
could record their comments on the requirements document as it was evolving.

Barrier: Differing stakeholder priorities can lead to conflicts.

Solution: We led openly negotiated settlements at dispute resolution sessions, giving all
parties involved an opportunity to voice their opinions.

Communication in the Needs Function of Specifications: To avoid misunderstandings and

upcoming revisions, specifications must be unambiguous and intelligible to developers as
well as stakeholders.

Approach: Using models such as the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and providing
clear, organized documentation were helpful in bridging the gap in comprehension. We
frequently convened review meetings in our projects, during which the stakeholders were
shown the specification document by the development team for approval.

Barrier: It is not uncommon for specification documents to contain ambiguities.

Solution: To guarantee that misunderstandings were quickly cleared up, a feedback

mechanism was put in place where developers could ask questions and get answers straight
from the product owners.

In requirements engineering, deliberate application of collaborative methods and tools can

improve effective communication, which is essential. Teams may guarantee more efficient
project progress and superior results by proactively addressing communication obstacles. The
examples from our group projects show that although obstacles are unavoidable, they can be
overcome with the appropriate strategies and tools.