A multitude of sins can be hidden behind the phrase “living document.” You can submit documents that are incomplete or inconsistent as long as you promise to fix it later. In this month’s issue of Strategic Software Engineering, I want to talk about the strategic importance of being realistic about the state of knowledge, plans an...

Beverley Head interviews Australian CIOs and Technology managers on the role of the business analyst. Insights like: "I find that business analysts are more critical (thinking) than project managers." "...finding an equally business savvy and IT smart business analyst is unlikely." "Success for the business analyst is...

What: Describes the CBAP (Certified Business Analysis Professional) certification, What: Knowledge Areas of the IIBA's BABOK (Business Analysis Boyd of Knowledge), Why: List some benefits of having a CBAP (Certified Business Analysis Professional) certification, How: Locate the CBAP certification requirements, How: Learn some tips to help ...

In part 1 of this article EBG Consulting's Ellen Gottesdiener discussed the need to adapt your requirements practices to your product and project. In part 2, she explores additional issues for tailoring requirements development and management. Author: Ellen Gottesdiener

Should your requirements practices embrace the change-driven approach of agile methods--lightweight models, minimal documentation, and little process? Or should you take a risk-driven approach--robust models, careful validation, and rich documentation? In this two-part weekly column, EBG Consulting's Ellen Gottesdiener explains that you should tail...

Read about the lively Use Case Panel: Discussion Among the Gurus - a panel held at the 2002 Rational Users Conference. "Doug Rosenberg wouldn't have a 20-page use case. Ian Spence would. But, as Ellen Gottesdiener reminded the panel, it's not all about size. Welcome to the Use Case Panel: Discussion Among Use Case Gurus. And what a panel it ...

Years of experience in defining requirements have led to the development of a number of techniques and models to assist in the process. Among these, perhaps the most well-known model is the use case, the focus of this paper. If you have experience with use cases, you know how pivotal they are for supporting many project activities, and you may be ...

Just how important is it to fully develop your project’s requirements? After all, nailing down your requirements usually takes only 8% to 15% of your overall project effort. Truth be told, it’s not really something you’ll want to spend your resources and energy on—unless, that is, you care at all about the quality of your pr...

This article explores the top nine reasons the author, requirements expert Ellen Gottesdiener, has heard for NOT doing requirements right -- and how to address these reasons in response.  Author: Ellen Gottesdiener

Systems analysts research, plan, and recommend software and system choices to meet their client organizations’ business requirements. Systems analysts primarily function as links between vendors and organizations. They develop cost analyses, system designs, and implementation schedules. They also study the feasibility of computer systems befo...

In the larger context of life, it is very clear that negotiation skills are very important and that those that have them are better off than those who don’t. What about in business analysis? Are negotiation skills important? The answer is an emphatic: YES! You bet they are! Business analysts negotiate or facilitate negotiations at...

If you are an IT professional in India, thinking of working abroad, you might want to consider a business/systems analyst position. Why? It’s a position in high demand with high earning potential and which can serve as a great foundation for moving up the corporate ladder into management or business operations. In Money Magazine’s Be...

So you have gotten your Cisco® or Microsoft® technical certifications to prove that you have mastered the technology; you've earned your Project Management Professional® to prove that you can plan and execute work effectively; what's next? For many of us it will be the Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP). This credential will...

Every project has requirements. It doesn't matter if it's building hardware solutions, developing software solutions, installing networks, protecting data, or training users. For the project to be a success, knowing what the requirements are is an absolute must. Requirements exist for virtually any components of a project or task. For example, a p...

 Software managers sometimes assume that every skilled programmer is also proficient at interviewing customers and writing requirements specifications, without any training, resources or coaching. This isn't a reasonable assumption. Like testing, estimation and project management, requirements engineering has its own skill set and body of know...