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New Post 4/11/2012 2:08 PM
User is offline Putcha
6 posts
10th Level Poster


Re: Should i use the Use cases OR general requirement description OR flow charts when writing a system a 

BR: 

Of the various suggestions, I agree with KIMBO on many points but I am not sure you will be able to generate Business Requirements Document which is different from SRS (System Requirements Specification---it should rightly be called System Capability Specification as per IEEE 830 explanation of SRS).

AA AS IS and TO BE Process Maps are pre-requisites for creating Use Case Diagram (one per system to be developed).

BB Use Case Diagram and Description of Use Cases are very systematic and helpful for describing BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS with reference to each Use Case GOAL.  They can be broad or detailed depending on how deep you with to go.

If you are in the process of developing AA and or  BB, I would be glad to provide the necessary inputs with methodology and tools for individual professional use / reuse.  email [email protected]

11APR12

 
New Post 1/18/2013 12:43 AM
User is offline Nitin
8 posts
10th Level Poster


Re: Should i use the Use cases OR general requirement description OR flow charts when writing a system a 

 Hi All,

I am new to business analysis. I would like to share approach followed by me in requirement gathering of CRM for my company.

Step 1:

My question to CIO was, apart from CRM what all system will our company have and what will be there purpose and what broad functionalities are we trying to achieve out of CRM.

His answer was CRM, Billing, ERP for inventory and document management system.

Result:

This helped me in identifying broad scope of CRM and where CRM needs to interact with other application.

 

Step 2:

During my discussion with my CIO, Sales Head and Customer relationship manager I discovered that CRM will have 4 major modules:

1) Installation and Activation of customer

2) Call center

3) Lead Management System

4) Business and Service partner Registeration

5) Reports

Step 3:

I started with understanding detailed scope of  Installation and Activation module and then took sign off from Business User. For this discussion I interacted with sales and operation head.

Step 4:

I identified the 2 level of business user associated with Installation and Activation module. One at manager level and other who works at ground level.

 

Step 5:

I started understanding requirements of both business users. Documented functionality as text and then prepared a functional prototype. Next day I use to have a review sessions with business user. This helped in identifying new functionalities which business user never thought of.

Then I got into preparing use case with bifurcation as User action and system response. Mentioned business rules with each use case. As I was running on strict timelines I did not have time to prepare functional requirement document.

Please note I already had a process document from business user associated with different functionalities.

 

Step 6:

Our technical team performed further design analysis and implemented the application.

 

My feedback on this approach:

I captured all functional requirements that business user could think of, however, as I did not prepare functional requirement document so there were certain business rules that were misinterpreted by developer otherwise project was a 80% success.

I would recommend that ideally we should also prepare system requirement document for 100% project success.

 

Please share your feedback on this approach and negative feedback will be welcomed J.

 
New Post 1/19/2013 12:48 PM
User is offline Kimbo
454 posts
5th Level Poster


Re: Should i use the Use cases OR general requirement description OR flow charts when writing a system a 

Nitin,

Some comments:

1. You should define customer / lead life cycles / processes to give an overview into which all this functionality you defined fits. Similarly for the business partner and call centre caller

2. You're first approach was to look at solution. those 5 areas may have been different if you looked at in from the business point of view first.

Kimbo

 
New Post 1/26/2013 3:20 AM
User is offline Nitin
8 posts
10th Level Poster


Re: Should i use the Use cases OR general requirement description OR flow charts when writing a system a 

Kimbo,

I forgot to add that process documents related to all modules were prepared and shared  by Business User during early stages of Implemetation.

However, during my discussion with business user for each action I use to ask him how and why atleast 3-4 times to understand business needs and its objectives.

Please share your inputs about how to have a business point of view for an existing process. What sort of discussion I should indulge in with business user. Based on CRM I implemented recently, I have been recommended for another CRM project and I don't want to repeat my past mistakes.

 

Regards,

Nitin

 

 

 
New Post 1/29/2013 1:34 AM
User is offline Kimbo
454 posts
5th Level Poster


Re: Should i use the Use cases OR general requirement description OR flow charts when writing a system a 

Nitin,

If you developed process documents for each module, then I expect you only captured actions taken that involved the CRM system? This may well be adequate however there are likely to be manual actions taken or even actions in another system that you didn't include? You should capture all actions. Its important to capture end to end business processes regardless of the solution. Do any business processes go over the module boundaries? If so, you missed them. Do any business processes involve manual steps or steps in other systems? If so, you missed them. These other actions are candidates for future enhancements. They may also uncover things about the business you aren't aware of or haven't considered.

The life cycle comment is about defining the possible states for your major entities e.g. Lead/customer; call/service request; partner; and the actions to take that transition the entity from one state to another. I use a UML state diagram for this.

Sounds like you did a good job for them if you're getting more work. These are just some extra suggestions.

Kimbo

 
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