Artis Boyd, PMP
1
09/27/2014
BUSINESS AND FUNCTIONAL
REQUIREMENTS
“PROCESS IMPROVEMENT”
09/27/2014
Artis Boyd, PMP
PROJECT SCOPING
PROCESS IMPROVEMENT STEPS…
Identify and
select processes
or opportunities
Identify
Stakeholders/
Customers
Establish
Requirements
Develop
Solutions
Implement
Action Plan
 Team members to include necessary business unit
representatives
 Each step consists of elements to be completed and reviewed
prior to moving forward
 Measurement will occur throughout the 5 Step Process
 Action plan may consists of simple action items or full project
implementation
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 Communication is critical throughout 5 Step Process
IDENTIFY AND SELECT PROCESSES OR
OPPORTUNITIES…
Key Deliverables
 Prioritized list of business needs
 Selected Project process to improve
 Opportunity Statement
 Project Charter(s): team members and
stakeholders
IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERS/
CUSTOMERS…
Key Deliverables
 List of Stakeholders/Customers
 Identify functional accountability (RACI
Chart)
 Start w/ project sponsor
 Who’s in the critical path
 Who’s impacted
- identify critical handoff points
 Identify potential baseline measures
 Activities, Volumes, Output, Quality
Measures
ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS…
Key Deliverables
 Define Requirements (Start from Project
Charter)
 Facilitated Work Sessions
 Define requirements approach
 Flow Charts
 Fish Diagram
 Process Design Charting
 Analysis and Understanding of Current State
vs. Future State
 Establish Baseline Measurements
11/05/2013
REQUIREMENTS- QUALITY CONTROL
Translating User Requirements into Project Deliverables
Lack of qualified
resources
Other
1%
3%
Communication problems
14%
4
Poor scope
control
15%
Inadequate risk
management
17%
Poor requirements
definition
1
3
2
50%
GATHERING - REQUIREMENTS...
Requirements Capture?
Requirements analysis is “the set of tasks,
knowledge, and techniques required to
identify business activities/functions and
determine solutions to business problems.”
Focus on 6 knowledge areas of
Enterprise Analysis
Requirements Planning and Management
Requirements Elicitation
Requirements Analysis
Requirements Communications
Solution Assessment and Validation
KEY CHALLENGES TO “REQUIREMENTS”
CAPTURE
Why Are Requirements So Difficult?
1.
They are more than what the business “wants”
2.
Unique knowledge and skills are required to
develop the requirements
3.
Project timelines may not allow sufficient time for
requirements development
4.
Specifying requirements to the right level of
granularity is iterative
5.
The use of requirements in related processes or
frameworks is often unclear or misunderstood
6.
Business changes cause requirements to change
Project Meeting Facilitation: Addressing the Gap
Causes of Meeting Ineffectiveness
Lack of Effective
Meeting Controls
Incorrect or Inadequate
Attendance
Poor Preparation
Other
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PM & BA training doesn’t often include facilitation skills,
meeting planning and group dynamics.
INTERSECTION OF BUSINESS ANALYST AND PROJECT
MANAGER
PM and BA Tasks
Project
Management
Business
Analysis
 Directs the Team
 Listens
 Ensures project is
delivered
 Ensures requirements
are met
 Removes barriers
 Communicate!
 Manages project
change
 Collaborate
 Manages the Work
Breakdown Structure
 Identifies business
issues
 Manages
requirements
 Business Liaison
DESIGN & PLAN
MEETING MUST HAVE’S…
“If a meeting is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.”
Do the Necessary Planning
1.Purpose
2.Desired Outcome(s)
3.Invite (duration & location)
4.Basic Agenda*
• How long will each item take?
• Who is responsible for leading the discussion?
• How will each topic be covered?

Discussion, Brainstorming, Round Robin, Reporting
• What is the expected outcome, if appropriate?
5.Mandatory Participants
6.Necessary Pre-work (if any)
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DESIGN & PLAN
FACILITATOR’S TOOLS
Ice Breakers
Nominal Group
Technique
MultiVoting
Brainstorming
Delphi Technique
Avoiding Group
Think
• Ease group contribution
• Prioritize issues to achieve consensus
• Choose fairly between many options
• Generate many radical ideas
• Achieve consensus among experts
• Avoid fatal flaws in group decision making
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DESIGN & PLAN
MEETING MUST HAVE’S…
Before the Meeting: Think Ahead
Worst case scenario (contingency plan)? Best case
scenario?
How do you want the meeting to flow?
How will you introduce the issue(s) at hand?
How can attendees be made ready to have a good
meeting?
•
•
•
Intel Corporation Conference
Room Posters
Do you know the purpose of
this meeting?
Do you have an agenda?
Do you know your role?
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TOOLS FOR KEEPING MEETINGS ON TARGET
“A productive meeting is a well planned, well managed
journey that engages participants and achieves its
intended goal.”
Meeting
Purpose
Know what
you need to
accomplish
Agenda
The agenda is
the roadmap.
Use it as a
checklist for
progress or to
postpone topics
that will be
addressed later.
Be Prepared
Provide
materials when
possible
Prep critical
attendees with
your
expectations of
their role.
*A survey of 150 corporate meetings found that half had no written agenda, less then
one third captured minutes, and only one in ten followed through with next steps.
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GUIDE AND CONTROL
Set ground rules
Review objectives and agenda
Get things flowing
Keep up the momentum and energy
Listen, engage, and include
Monitor checkpoints and summarize
Intervene, if necessary
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GUIDE AND CONTROL
EXAMPLE: PROJECT MEETINGS
1.Roll Call
2.Accomplishments
•
•
List successes since the last status update
Browse the quarterly recognition (or annual Volunteer Service Awards)
for your team members and share their good press!
3.Check In - the status of work
4.Work scheduled but not completed
5.Cross-project issues
Possible Other: A human element


A positive quote (Values.com) “A smile is a curve that sets everything
straight.” Phyllis Diller
A well timed comic
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RECORD AND FOLLOW UP
Ensure understanding
 Begins DURING the meeting
Use words that the group chooses
Record decisions and actions
 Plan enough time at the end to recap/agree
 Check for fairness and accuracy
 Obtain responsibility and commitment
Follow up after the meeting
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HOW CAN I MAKE OUR PROJECTS
SUCCESSFUL?
“If you fail to plan,
you plan to fail!”
Benjamin Franklin
SO, DO YOU PLAN?
This is how it works with strategic planning. It’s
not the plan…it’s the planning. When your team
works together to identify the issues, develop the
strategy, build the schedule, assign responsibilities
and assess the costs, success is almost assured.
Team members know what to do, when to do it,
why it’s important and how any changes will affect
others