unit 05 - project definition and requirements

October 2003 | Project Management | Wilhelm F. Neuhäuser © IBM Corporation 2003

Unit 05 - Project Definition and Requirements

Project Management

Unit 05 | Project Definition and Requirements| © IBM Corporation 20032

Agenda

Unit 5: Project Definition and Requirements Objectives Project requirements Scope definition Specification questions Project definition and requirements: organizing

for results Key Messages - Unit 5

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Objectives

At the end of this module, you will be able to - Recognize the need to validate requirements Recognize pitfalls in defining requirement Describe how to define a requirements baseline Prepare a scope definition document for

effective project planning

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The Basic Project Definition Questions

The first step in the project definition process is toaddress the following questions:

Precisely who is affected by the project? What are the requirements of those affected? Who is involved in the delivery of work? Where are we now? Where should we end up?

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The Basic Project Definition Questions

The first step in the project definition process is toaddress the following questions, continued:

What are the technical performance requirements? What are the expense limitations? What is the project's duration including time-to-

market, time-to-profitability, and total life cycle? What are the risks? What are most important aspects of deliverables,

that is, technical, ease of use, distribution?

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Differences between Goals, Objectives, Requirements, and Specifications

Ends that the firm strives to attain - e.g., becoming the leader in indoor mall transit systems

Specific targets that further the goal - e.g., implementing

a new mall transit system for the Wickedgood Shopping Mall in Bar Harbor, Maine, within budget, to be operational by September 1.

The needs of the customer that refine the objectives in sufficient detail to plan the work

The firm's approach to meeting the requirements, goals, and objectives, spelled out in considerable detail

Goals

Objectives

“What”

Requirements

Specifications

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Project Objectives

Establish unambiguous and realistic objectives Good objectives are unambiguously stated and contain a

measure of how to assess whether or not they have been achieved

To be realistic, objectives must be determined jointly by project managers, functional managers, and those who perform the work - a top-down, bottom-up process

Periodically evaluate whether project objectives are being achieved

Act on results of the evaluation

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Ensuring Good Project Objectives

When an objective meets the criteria it - Can survive the departure of a key sponsor or

project management team member without diluting its clarity

Matches firm's approaches to doing business Serves the customer need without restricting how

the job is accomplished Serves as a foundation for the work breakdown

structure (WBS)

S.M.A.R.T.: Specific - Measurable - Agreed to - Realistic - Timebound/Timely

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Requirements Baseline and Exclusion Definitions

Needs: Client/project sponsor requests, ideas, and business requirementsRequirements: Statement of desire for a future systemRequirements Baseline: Statements of commitment for future systemExclusions: Statements of "not-included" for a future system

Note: Requirements baseline may also be called specifications.

Needs

Requirements

Exclusions

Requirements Baseline

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Identify and Validate Requirements When...

Developing a proposal

Beginning a project

Taking over a project already in process (revalidating)

Reassessing the requirements of a project (mid-project)

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Why Establish a Requirements Baseline?

The requirements baseline – Incorporates the original requirements for a project

plus or minus approved changes Serves as the basis for managing requirements Must be signed and approved Helps serve as the basis of ensuring that the

project is complete Defines the scope of the project

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Requirements Baseline = Requirements -Exclusion

NeedsNeeds RequirementsBaseline

Requirements

Exclusions

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How to Establish a Requirements Baseline

NeedsNeeds Requirements

Review

Review

Final Baseline

Exclusion

PreliminaryBaseline

ReviewException

Acceptable

Aproval

Y

Y

N

N

NY

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Specification Questions

A review of fundamental questions can provideinsight on a project's requirements: What should it do? Who are the customers? How much will it cost the customer? How will it be marketed? Where will it be bought? How will it be ordered? How long will it last?

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Specification Questions (continued)

Are similar products already in development or operation?

What is the expense plan? How long is the development process? How will it be serviced? Can the firm's existing infrastructure support it? What outside support is required? How will success be defined? What support system will firm keep in place?

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Guidelines for Identifying and Validating Requirements

Work jointly with clients / project sponsors Obtain detailed descriptions of problems to be solved State the requirements explicitly and have project staff

and clients / project sponsors sign off Be realistic: assume that if a requirement can be

misinterpreted – it will be misinterpreted Use a scope definition document

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Guidelines for Identifying and Validating Requirements continued

If possible, include pictures, graphics, models and other nonverbal exhibits in requirements formulation

Ensure that project deliverables are directly related to requirements

Establish a system to monitor changes made to the requirements

Educate the project staff and clients / project sponsors about problems in specifying requirements

Obtaine client / project sponsor signature on requirement baseline

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Project Definition and Requirements: Organizing for Results

Project manager is the focal point Collaborate with functional managers regarding -

Need to collect additional requirements

Who to query

Verification and validation of requirements

Sign-off process

• Concept (product requirements)• Plan (product definition)

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Using the Scope Definition Document to Identify and Validate Project Requirements

Creates a baseline for measuring and managing change

Set measures within which to control Prevents team from jumping in and wasting effort Ensures clarity of scope before detail planning

begins

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What is the Scope Definition Document?

Is an overview document Sets project bounds Establishes what the project will do and will not do Begins to organize project into manageable form Is not a project charter Is not a team charter

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Components of a Scope Definition Document

Background and summary of project Where did this project come from? Why is it being done? What does the customer receive or not receive by project end?

Project objective(s) What is the target of the project? What problem should the project solve? What are the major components of work on the project?

Project deliverables What are the major products required to meet the objectives? Customer deliverables Project deliverables Process deliverables

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Components of a Scope Definition Document (continued)

Key milestones What major points in time are important to communicate? What major points in time are important to measure against? What are the bureaucratic milestones?

Assumptions What unknowns are being made into knowns? What are the operating rules and standards?

Risks What obstacles could jeopardize project success?

• Cost• Schedule• Requirements• Quality

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Key resource requirements What specialized resources are necessary to complete this project?

• Human• Material

Constraints What issues are restricting this project?

• Technology• Human resources• Political

Interrelated projects What effects are there on other programs? What other projects are addressing related issues? What other projects have a potential impact on this project?

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Acceptance criteria What technical performance is required? What checkpoints are in place to ensure that the right product

is being delivered in the right way? How will success be measured?

Signatures What reviews will be done? When? Who approves project reviews?

Reviews At what points will management reviews be conducted? At what points will customer reviews be conducted? At what points will informal (team, peer) reviews be conducted? For what purpose?

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Communication plan How will team members communicate? What types of meetings will be held? Frequency? Purpose? What type of reports will be written? Frequency? Purpose?

Change management plan What process will be followed when project change occurs?

Financial analysis Net present value (NPV) Benefit-cost ratio Return on sales (ROS) Return on assets (ROA)

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Pitfalls in Defining Needs

Dealing with inherently fuzzy needs Dynamic

Uncertainty regarding who will use the product

Identifying solutions prematurely Addressing the needs of multiple customers

Developers' values may color and distort end-user needs

• Gold-plating needs• Selective filtering of customer needs• "Father knows best" approach to recognizing and

articulating needs

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Customers aren't always sure what they need

They know what they don't need As the product develops and takes on tangible

forms, customers see new possibilities Customers know what they want when they see it

(prototype) Customers must be taken seriously - a project may

be considered a failure if the product is not utilized, is underutilized, or is misutilized by the intended customer

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Key Messages

Always do requirements analysis and validation Ensure that you ask the right questions Use a systematic approach State requirements explicitly - have project staff and the

client/project sponsor sign off Consider requirements definition between the project team and

client/project sponsor Know the differences among requirements, exclusions, and

requirements baseline Issues will occur that require management and resolution may

result in change Baselines are essential to controlling the evolution of requirements As the project manager, assume responsibility for screening

change requests, avoid scope creep, and revising the baseline

unit 05 - project definition and requirements

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