Project Requirements: A Guide to Best Practices gives project managers tools they can assimilate and apply easily to improve project success rates, reduce development costs, reduce rework, and accelerate time to market. Based on experience and best practices, this valuable reference will help you:
- Clarify real requirements before you initiate project work
- Improve management of project requirements
- Save time and effort
- Manage to your schedule
- Improve the quality of deliverables
- Increase customer satisfaction and drive repeat business
Project Requirements: A Guide to Best Practices provides project managers with a direct, practical strategy to overcome requirements challenges and manage requirements successfully.
Project Requirements: A Guide to Best Practices| Ralph R. Young (Author)| Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Introduction
How the PM Will Benefit By Paying Attention to Requirements, “What Are Requirements and Why Are They Important?”, “Why Pay Attention to Requirements?”, “Why This Book?”, Requirements Activities in the Project Life Cycle, Requirements-Shaping PM Practices, Setting Expectations Concerning the Requirements, Goals of This Book.
Chapter 2. Key Requirements Success Factors
Criteria for a Good Requirement, Types of Requirements, Need for High-Level Requirements, Key Success Factors, Engage all Project Roles in the Requirements, Process, Write a Project Vision and Scope Document, Identify a Set of High-Level Requirements, Use Trained and Experienced Requirements Analysts, Evolve the “Real” Requirements, Use Mechanisms to Manage Changes to Requirements and New Requirements, Develop and Use a Requirements Plan, Document and Invest in the Project’s Requirements Process, Take Proactive Steps to Address the Most Frequent Types of Requirements Errors, Understand the Real Requirements before Initiating Other Technical Work, Involve the Project’s Customers and Users, Plan for Change, The Experience of Being a User in a Requirements Process.
Chapter 3. Partnering for Success
Costs and Benefits of Partnering, Securing the Commitment of Stakeholders, The Partnering Process, The Decision to Partner, Evolving Mutual Expectations, Initial Partnering Workshop, Mutual Support in Ongoing Project Efforts.
Chapter 4. Requirements-Related Project Startup Issues
Typical Requirements-Related Project Startup Issues, Confusion Reigns, Project Requirements Are Not Clear, A Set of High-Level Requirements Is Not Identified, All Requirements Are Considered Equal, The Team Is under Pressure to Start the “Real Work”, Requirements Are Not Clarified before Other Technical Work Is Initiated, All Stakeholders Are Not Identified, Effective Communication among Project Participants Is Lacking, Customer Places Too Much Burden for Defining Requirements on the Developers, Users Believe the New System Will Address All Their Perceived Needs, Requirements Process Is Not Documented, Project Staff Are Asked to Use Automated Tools without Training, Suggested Remedies for Typical Requirements-Related Project Startup Issues, Identify a Champion for the Project Requirements Process, Hire and Train Experienced Requirements Analysts, Write a Project Vision and Scope Document, Form and Use a Joint Team, Provide an Initial Project Requirements Briefing, Design, Document, and Use the Project’s Requirements Process, Identify the Real Requirements, Provide Ongoing Training for the Requirements Analysts, Select, Deploy, Implement, and Use Industry-Proven Effective Requirements Practices, Engage All Project Staff in the Requirements Process, Create a Project Configuration Control Board, Undertake Team Building among the Project Staff, Take Steps to Make Effective Use of an Automated Requirements Tool, Requirements-Related Startup Checklist.
Chapter 5. Fostering Effective Teamwork
The Need for Effective Teamwork Concerning Requirements Tasks, Fostering Effective Teamwork, Customer and User Involvement in Requirements Activities, The Joint Team, Identifying the Real Requirements, Controlling New Requirements and Changes to Requirements, Using a Requirements Working Group, Addressing Verification and Validation during Requirements Development.
Chapter 6. Coaching the Project’s Requirements Manager and Requirements Analyst
The PM as Coach, Coaching Opportunities to Support the Roles of the RA, Role 1: Work Collaboratively to Identify the Real Requirements, Role 2: Work Effectively with Customers and Users to Manage New and Changed Requirements, Role 3: Be Alert to New Technologies, Role 4: Facilitate the Project in Reusing Artifacts and Achieving Repeatability, Role 5: Assist in Envisioning a Growth Path to the Ultimate System, Role 6: Advise the Project on Methods, Techniques, and Automated tools Available to Support Requirements-Related Work, Role 7: Use Metrics to Measure, Track, and Control Requirements-Related Project Work, Role 8: Facilitate Discussions and Mediate Conflicts, Role 9: Study the Domain of the Area in Which the System Is Used, Be Willing to Be Coached!
Chapter 7. Clear Communication: The Key to Project Success
How Communication Affects Requirements Activities, Foster and Encourage Open Communication, Empower Your Team Members, Recognize the Efforts of Your Team Members, Convene a Project CCB, Hold Effective Meetings, Establish Rules of Conduct, Ensure Mutual Accountability, Advocate for Effective Use of E-mail.
Chapter 8. Being Agile: The “Right” Amount of Discipline and Process
Why Processes Help, “What Discipline Is Needed?”, Where to Start, “What Amount of Process Should Be Provided on a Project?”.
Chapter 9. Continuous Improvement
“What Is Continuous Improvement?”, “Why Pursue Continuous Improvement?”, Establishing an Environment of Continuous Improvement, Identify the Business Objectives and Communicate Why They Are Important, Set Goals and Milestones for the Project Based on Stakeholder Needs and Expectations, Emphasize That Every Member of the Project Team Is Valued, Welcome Opportunities for Improvement, Create an Environment of Constructive Information Sharing, Provide Practical Mechanisms for Identifying and Addressing Barriers, Take Time to Assess Results, Respond to Suggestions Made by the Project Team.
Chapter 10. The Project Manager’s Role Concerning Quality
Setting Quality Goals, The QA Role on a Project, Role 1: Become One of the Sources of Process Knowledge, Role 2: Develop and Maintain an Environment of Continuous Improvement, Role 3: Don’t Audit; Instead, Teach and Coach, Maintaining a Quality Culture on a Project, Using Quality Improvement Tools and Techniques.
Chapter 11. Requirements, Risk, and the Project Manager
“Why Use Risk Management?”, Risk Management Planning, Risk Identification, Brainstorming, Taxonomy-based Questionnaire, Lessons Learned Analysis, Risk Assessment, Risk Response Planning, Risk Monitoring and Control.
Chapter 12. Summary and Suggested Implementation Steps
Suggested Implementation Steps, Summary of Requirements-related Mechanisms, Summary of Other Key Concepts, Fostering Senior Management Commitment.
Epilogue
Appendix A: Traceability by James D. Palmer
Appendix B: Meet Minimum Requirements: Anything More Is Too Much by Neal Whitten
Appendix C: Template for a Project Vision and Scope Document
References and Resources for Additional Help
Index
LINK FOR THE BOOK
