What can a glossary be used for?
A glossary can help to avoid misunderstandings due to different interpretation of terms
It is useful to start creating a glossary at project start to avoid later effort to align on terms and definitions
What are characteristics of a glossary?
Centrally administered
A specific person is responsible
Is maintained continuously
Is generally accessible
It’s use is mandatory and binding
Contains origin of terms
Is aligned with the stakeholders
Records have a consistent structure
How can requirements be organized?
a) Written document: Text and diagramms, pictures combined
b) Data Base / Ticket system: 1 entry-requirement
c) Product Backlog
What can be said about written requirements?
Requirements can be written in different formats and languages
formal, informal
Graphical (e.g. flow chart), text
Are usually combined in a document and / or entered into a database
What are quality criteria for written requirements?
Coordinated
Rated / evaluated
Unique
Valid and current
Correct
Consistent
Testable
Implementable
Traceable
Complete
Comprehensible
What can be said about using templates for capturing requirements?
The use of a template facilitates capturing and documenting individual requirements with high quality and in a time and cost efficient way.
The use of a template leads to standardized and easier to understand sentences each describing a requirement
Blueprint for the syntactical structure of an individual requirement
Lexical uniqueness can be achieved by a connection to a glossary
Application in five steps
What are the five steps for applying a template for requirements capturing?
Determination of the lega liabilities
Formulation of the core of the requirement
Characterisation of the activities of the system
Insert objects
Formulation of logical and temporal conditions
Illustrate the process of using templates for capturing requirements
What can be said about documenting the scope?
The set of all requirements should cover the project scope. There are various tools to compile and maintain them
Scope statement / document
Database with all the individual requirements
…
What are quality criteria for requirements documents?
Uniqueness and consistency
Clear structure and reasonable scope
Modifiability and expandibility
Completeness
Traceability
What can be said about standardised document structure?
Predefines the structure of the requirements document
To be adjusted for the specific product
What are some of the most known standard structures for requirements documentation?
Rational Unified Process
- Business Model (customer)
- Software Requirements Specification (contractor)
IEEE-Standard 830-1998
V-Modell
- Specification sheet (contractor)
What are advantages of a standarised document structure?
Quick embedding and determination of the contents
Enables a selective reading and review
Simple reuse of contents
What is the minimum scope every requirements documentation should have?
Introduction
General Overview
Requirements
Appendix
Index
What does the Introduction in the requirements documentation contain?
Purpose, Systems scope, Stakeholders, Definitions, Abbreviations, References, Overview of the document structure
What does the General Overview in the requirements documentation contain?
System environment, Architectural description, System functionality, User and target groups, Boundary conditions, Assumptions
What do Requirements in the requirements documentation contain?
Functional Requirements
Non-functional Requirements
Project Requirements
How are requirements in agile approaches usually kept?
In Agile Approaches requirements are usually kept individually, if necessary relations to other requirements are documented
Formal, informal
Very often based on User Stories
What are quality criteria for requirements in agile approaches?
INVEST:
Independent
Negotiable
Valuable
Estimatable
Small
Tesable
What are characteristics of requirements in agile approaches?
In agile approaches requirements usually reflect the functionality requested by the customer
Describes a functionality or property that creates value for the customer
Created in communication with the customer: “Card - Conversation - Confirmation”
Level of detail evolves over time and when necessary
Quality Criteria: INVEST (independent, negotiable, valuable, estimable, small, testable)
Illustrate a User Story Card!
How is the project scope usually represented and managed in agile approaches?
The Project Scope is usually represented and managed as a Backlog (Product Backlog in Scrum) which contains all the user stories (PBI)
What are quality criteria for the product backlog?
DEEP
Detailed appropriately
Emergent
Estimated
Prioritized
What does detailed appropriately as a quality criteria for the backlog mean?
Top PBI most detailed -> input for next sprint
Detailing in just-in-time fashion
What does emergent as a quality criteria for the backlog mean?
Continuous rebalancing, reprioritizing and adding of PBIs
What does estimated as a quality criteria for the backlog mean?
Each PBI has a size estimate
What does prioritized as a quality criteria for the backlog mean?
Near-term items are prioritized (not the entire backlog)
What does validate scope mean?
Validate scope is the process of formalizing acceptance of the completed project delieverables
Performed periodically throughout the project as needed
Most common technique used: Inspection, Testing
What are Key Benefits of validate scope?
Brings objectivity to the acceptance process
Increases the probability of final product, service, or result acceptance
What are the outputs of validate scope?
Accepted deliverables
Work performance information
Change Requests
How is scope verification usually organized?
In dedicated and formal meetings
What is the format for scope verification in classical and agile approaches?
Classical Approach: Dedicated approval meeting / workshop
Agile Approach: Sprint Review (Scrum)
Who are the participants of scope verification in classical and agile approaches?
Classical Approach:
Customer
Project Manager
Depending on the project: (part of) the team
Agile Approach:
Product Owner
Project Team
opt.: (relevant) Stakeholders
What are activities (how it’s done) for scope verification in classical and agile approaches?
Classical approach:
Inspection
Walk Through
Presentation
Test
What is integrated change control?
Integrated change control is the process of reviewing all change requests, approving changes and managing changes
Performed periodically throughout the project
What is the Key Benefit of Integrated Change Control?
Allows for documented changes within the project
How does the classical approach of intergrated change control work?
More or less formalized -> Change Request and Change Process
Addressed to the Project Manager
Authorised by the instance and based on the process defined at the project start (can be part of the contract)
Implemented as decided during the change authorization process
How does the agile approach of intergrated change control work?
Not formalized as a separated process, part of the clarification and detailing of user stories in the product backlog
Addressed to and authorized by the Product Owner
Can only be considered as part of the Sprint Planning - no change implementation during a Sprint
What is a change?
A “Change” is every change that has an effect either on the project output or on its approach and can be documented in a Change Request
Implement a product different than planned or requested - Change of a Requirement / Part of the Scope / Entire Scope
What are possible actions concerning changes?
Corrective actions
Preventive actions
What are corrective actions as changes?
On a delivery item / (partial) product of the project (Bug Fix)
With regard to the approach / the processes of the project
What are preventive actions as changes?
Is associated with a risk whose impact and / or its probability is reduced if the action is implemented
What does change (request) management ensure?
Change (Request) Management ensures that all CR are documented and managed during the entire project duration
What steps does Change (Request) Management contain?
Raise Change
Register Change
Assess Change
Approve / Reject Change
Manage Change
What does “Raise Change” as a step in Change (Request) Management contain?
Each stakeholder can formulate a CR
Every CR should be formulated in written form
What does “Register Change” as a step in Change (Request) Management contain?
Every CR is stored in a Change-Control-System / Configurations-Management-System
What does “Assess Change” as a step in Change (Request) Management contain?
Analysis of the CR
Documentation of the impact of the intended changes
What does “Approve / Reject Change” as a step in Change (Request) Management contain?
Approval / refusal of the CR by appropriate authorised role in a project, e.g. PM
Normally by Change Control Board (CCB)
What does Manage Change as a step in Change (Request) Management contain?
Managem implementation of the change
Ensure the alignment of the affected plans, documents, baselines in a project
Last changeda year ago
