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There have been a lot of articles written that discuss the the “whats” of business analysis and requirements. This article is not one of them. This article will discuss the “hows” of the requirements and analysis process. The five step process for systems analysis is based upon my years of leading and managing SAs in the corporate world. Here are the steps:

1. Gather

2. Classify

3. Analyze

4. Build

5. Reconcile

Iterative means that the steps in this analysis process must be performed over and over again to achieve the best results. You will get better and better requirements each time you complete an iterative of this process. You will likely gather new facts, ask new questions, and dispel old myths. For now though, lets focus on the first step in the process. This is where it all begins with “Gathering.”

The process does indeed being with gathering. This is the step where you will hunt down the raw business requirements straight from the user. This will be the raw information and material that will fuel the rest of the process.

Any analyst with some experience should have experience to the “gathering” techniques. The top three methods are face to face interviews with subject matter experts, review of system specification, and of course behind the scenes research. Just like Magnum P.I. or the Big Lebowski, you need to solve a mystery and remove confusion about the system or process you are analyzing. Leave nothing to chance.

In the gathering step, good questions are important. Try not to ask too many yes or no questions. This type of question relies on both individuals sharing a common vocabulary and language. Often as an analyst, you will be a novice in the subject matter and you will be interviewing an expert. Instead, make sure you ask plenty of “meta-questions.” Ask your subject, “what should I be asking you right now?” Ask them, “What do you think the most complicated parts of your business are?” Ask them, “What are the things that ‘regular people’ don’t understand about your business?”

The best author and expert on this topic is Gerald Weinberg. Check out any of his writing about requirements and you will see the strong emphasis he puts on asking great questions. In specific check out his writings about the topic of meta questions. They are truly awesome.

When it comes to the tools of choice for gathering this information. A simple notebook will do. My personal favorites are moleskin notebooks. They have such a nice feel and weight, I think it encourages you to use them more than a normal notebook. Some folks like to use recording devices. Just be careful that you understand the laws in your state or terroritory in reference to recording conversations before going this route.

When you have your answers and results from the interview, you have concluded the “gathering” step of the process. From there you will move on to the next step in the analysis process, “organizing.” Look forward to a dedicated article to that single step.

Click here to learn more about business requirements. Or you can visit here to learn more about business requirements.

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Look, you’re gonna need as many job leads as you can find in your search during these tough economic times. You simply can never know where a job lead can turn up and when it will turn into something. That’s why you need to do all the networking you can and always keep your eyes open. The first essential ingredient of any job hunt is, without fail, a strong cover letter and resume. Think of it as your calling card. If you don’t have one, don’t expect most businesses to take you seriously.

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A great cover letter will do the same, but with an added benefit… it will also give you an unfair advantage where the interview is merely a formality before they give you the job. They already want to hire you based on your cover letter and resume, but just need to make sure the person matches the credentials.

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