Obtaining Stakeholder Requirements

Introduction to Stakeholder Requirements for ICT Systems

Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have a vested interest in the ICT system.

They are important in determining system requirements to ensure the system meets their needs and expectations.

Methods of obtaining stakeholder requirements are crucial for project success.

Interviews

• One-on-one meetings between project team members and stakeholders.
• Allows for in-depth discussions on stakeholder needs and wants.
• Direct feedback to ensure system aligns with stakeholder expectations.

Pros

• Can provide detailed, individual perspectives
• Can follow up on questions to clarify or expand on responses
• Can help build relationships with stakeholders

Cons

• Time-consuming and resource-intensive
• May be subject to interviewer bias
• May not capture the full range of stakeholder perspectives

Surveys

• Questionnaires administered to stakeholders to gather information on their needs and wants.
• Can gather feedback from a large number of stakeholders quickly.
• Limited face-to-face interaction which may not capture all stakeholder concerns.

Pros

• Can reach a large number of stakeholders at once
• Can collect quantitative data which can be easily analyzed and compared
• Relatively low cost compared to other methods

Cons

• May not capture in-depth or nuanced responses
• Stakeholders may not be motivated to respond accurately
• Can be difficult to design effective questions that capture all the relevant information

Focus Groups

• Group discussions with selected stakeholders.
• Encourages collaboration and feedback from multiple perspectives.
• Difficult to schedule a focus group with all stakeholders and may not capture individual concerns.

Pros

• Provide rich, qualitative data
• Can encourage open discussion and exploration of ideas
• Can help identify new or unexpected needs

Cons

• May be difficult to schedule and coordinate
• Small sample size may not be representative of all stakeholders
• Can be influenced by dominant or vocal participants

Observation

• Observing stakeholders using similar ICT systems to identify their needs and wants.
• Provides an understanding of how they interact and use ICT systems.
• May not capture all stakeholder needs and wants, particularly for a unique system.

Pros

• Provides direct, objective data
• Can capture behaviors and practices that stakeholders may not be aware of or able to articulate
• Can identify gaps between stated and actual needs

Cons

• May be time-consuming and logistically challenging
• May not provide a complete picture of stakeholder needs
• May be influenced by observer bias or interpretation

Document Analysis

• Reviewing existing documentation, such as system specifications or business requirements.
• Helps to identify existing stakeholder requirements.
• May not capture potential changes to stakeholder needs and wants.

Pros

• Allows for a comprehensive review of existing information
• Can help identify trends and patterns over time
• Can be less time-consuming than other methods

Cons

• May not capture all relevant stakeholder perspectives
• May be influenced by the quality and availability of documents
• May require expertise to analyze and interpret the data accurately

Prototyping

• Creating a concept model for a system and testing it out with stakeholders.
• Provides an early opportunity for stakeholders to identify wants and needs.
• May not capture all needs and wants, particularly for more complex systems.

Pros

• Provides a tangible representation of the product or solution being developed
• Allows stakeholders to interact with and test the prototype, providing valuable feedback
• Can help identify potential issues or areas for improvement early in the development process

Cons

• Can be time-consuming and resource-intensive to create prototypes
• May not accurately represent the final product or solution
• Feedback may be influenced by the prototype itself, rather than the underlying needs

Card Sorting

• Asking stakeholders to categorize different features or functions by importance.
• Provides insight into which features or functions are most important to stakeholders.
• May not provide a complete picture of all stakeholder needs and wants.

Pros

• Provides direct input from stakeholders on how to organize content or ideas
• Can be conducted remotely, making it accessible to a wider range of stakeholders
• Can help identify common patterns and groupings

Cons

• May be influenced by individual stakeholder preferences
• May not capture the full range of stakeholder needs
• Can be time-consuming to analyze and synthesize the data

Discussion Questions

• What method(s) have you used to obtain stakeholder requirements before?
• Which method(s) do you believe is/are the most effective and why?
• What challenges have you encountered when gathering stakeholder requirements?

Resources

Teacher Presentation#