5 Gathering Requirements Gathering Tips – What Are They Not Saying?
The task of requirements gathering for any new project can be daunting.  The challenge is to get the business to tell you what they need, often times when they don’t even know what’s possible.  Many companies send a business analyst out to get the requirements. They might create a survey, interview people, and then they develop a document that lists their findings. That’s what we would expect them to do, right. How effective is this process in your organization?  The goal should be to:
DISCOVER WHAT THEY ARE NOT SAYING!
If you want to really get to know what the business needs, it’s time to discover what they are not saying.  Here are 5 requirements gathering tips for uncovering the truth:
- Building rapport with the business users by being empathetic will result in more information being shared.
- Practice reading non-verbal communications. Two–thirds of all communication is non-verbal.
- Have all meetings in person or with video to see non-verbal clues. If you can’t see it, you will miss it.
- Give the business users notebooks to jot down ideas while they are working.  It’s like a grocery list; it should grow over time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2ngZnPjgeY
- Help them understand the purpose of the project and how it will benefit them personally. This will encourage collaboration.
If you are looking for proven methods in these areas, check out our Psychology of Requirements Gathering Workshop.