lessons in project management - 6 - requirements engineering

International Project Management

Prof. Dr. Frank Habermann

Lecture 6 –

Requirements Engineering & Modeling

© Becota GmbH | www.becota.com | 2010

Legal (contractual) requirements vs. product requirements

Project (management) requirements vs. engineering requirements

Business (organisational) requirements vs. personal requirements

Product versus service engineering

Introducing enterprise models (as a method for connecting perspectives)

Introducing enterprise architectures

The problem of collecting information

Content

© Becota | www.becota.org | 2010

each project is

aboutmeeting

requirements


Requirements are closely linkedto goals and expectations

Picture sources: http://3.bp.blogspot.com; http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/contract.jpg

the project contractrequests a certain quality to

meet the project‘s objectives

THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS




a stakeholderrequests a certain feature or quality

to meet his/her objectives



THE PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS




... and many stakeholdersrequest various features and qualities

to meet their perspectives



A BUNCH OF PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS


Remember lecture 2:each corporate perspective is a source of requirements

regionalperspective (r)

hierarchicalperspective (h)

subject matterperspective (m)

Perspectivesto be integrated :

m * h * r


As a project manager you have to deal withall these kinds of requirements

Picture sources: http://hirepm.com; http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/contract.jpg

A BUNCH OF PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

TypeNumberLevel of Detail

TypeNumber

Level of Detail


Time drives requirements (number and level of detail)

TIME

Pre-Project Main Project

KNOWLDGE GAINED

Leve

l o

fre

qu

irem

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tssp

ecif

icat

ion



TIME


Leve

l o

fre

qu

irem

en

tssp

ecif

icat

ion

KNOWLDGE GAINED



TIME


Leve

l o

fre

qu

irem

en

tssp

ecif

icat

ion

Fit

KNOWLDGE GAINED



TIME


KNOWLDGE GAINED

Leve

l o

fre

qu

irem

en

tssp

ecif

icat

ion

Gap

Fit




TIME


Leve

l o

fre

qu

irem

en

tssp

ecif

icat

ion

Gap

Gap

Fit


Two main taks: developing and managing reqirements

TIME


Leve

l o

fre

qu

irem

en

tssp

ecif

icat

ion develop

requirementsto the rightlevel of detail


Two main taks: developing and managing reqirements

TIME


Leve

l o

fre

qu

irem

en

tssp

ecif

icat

ion develop

requirementsto the rightlevel of detail

Gap

managegaps/conflictsin type andlevel of detail


Requirements levels

enterprise

departments(= special interest groups)

employees(= users of the solution)

one

some

many


Requirements levels

BusinessChallenge(Mission)

enterprise



engineeringthe contract

(blueprintingthe solution)

one

some

many


Requirements levels


enterprise





engineeringthe solution

one

some

many


Requirements levels


enterprise

departments

users



engineeringthe solution

one

Requirements engineering in a strict sensemeans specifying the solution


project requirements

versus

productrequirements


Requirements engineering is aboutproduct requirements

THE CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS

WHAT

The „object“ tobe delievered, i.e. the project product

PRODUCT requirements

HOW

The „way“ ofrunning the project

and producing the deliverables

PROJECT requirements



WHAT

• Solution components• Solution features• Solution-related services• …

HOW

• Project rules (e.g. corporate forms)• Project guidelines (e.g. following Prince2)• Project tools and methods (e.g. MS Project)• …




WHAT

• Solution components• Solution features• Solution-related services• …

HOW

• Project rules• Project guidelines• Project tools and methods• …

requirementsengineering ismodeling theproject product

ímpacts



Remember lecture 1…

Picture Source: www.infrastructurist.com

PROJECT RESULT

1. Temporary(a project got a

clear start and end date)

2. Unique(a project provides individual

and substantial results)


The product can also be a service product!

PROJECT PRODUCT Deliverable

SERVICEPRODUCT

PHYSICALPRODUCT

COULD BE

e.g. designingan innovative

restaurant processservice engineering

e.g. designingan innovative

and delicious mealproduct engineering

requirements engineering


Relationship between processes, services, products

Be seated Place order Get served Eat

„Dining at a fine restaurant“

Process chain

Pay

Meal


Relationship between processes, services, products

Be seated Place order Get served Eat

Place order Pay Get servedSeat

yourself

„Dining at a fine restaurant“

„Dining at a fast-food restaurant“

Process chain

Process chain

Pay

Eat

Meal

Meal

> Sometimes the service makes the difference!


Another famous example of service innovation

Picture source: http://www.n-tv.de/img/


some brief considerations

about product

quality


What is product quality?

The International Standardization Organization (ISO) says:

“The totality

of features and characteristics

of a product or service that

bears its ability to satisfy

stated or implied needs.“


What is product quality?

The International Standardization Organization (ISO) says:

“The totality

of features and characteristics

of a product or service that

bears its ability to satisfy

stated or implied needs.“

in just two words…

MATCHED

EXPECTATIONS


Unfortunately, a project manager has to cope with manyexpectations from all kinds of stakeholders…

Picture source: www.blackcommentator.com

> First rule: stay manageable, i.e.learn to say „no“


… and this – to make matters worse – is a great source ofmisunderstanding (e.g. in IT projects)

Picture source: http://govfor.us


… and this – to make matters worse –is a great source of misunderstanding



… and this – to make matters worse – is a great source ofmisunderstanding (e.g. in IT projects)



In projects there is much room for misunderstanding

Picture source: http://jarodrosello.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/ © Becota

> Second rule: for requirements engineeringchoose a language that everybodyaccepts and understands


this leads us to

enterprise

modeling


… before beginninga bigger project

… before fabricatingsomething which cannotbe changed anymore

… before investing serioustime and money

Thus a model always

– serves a higher purpose

– is an instrument

– is „made for something“

Architects (and artists) start with a model…

Picture source: http://www.marmo.ch/var/scultura/storage/images/www_home/kurse


What‘s a model?

../../../videos/What's A Model_.avi


Modeling – an example

Model Domain

Abstract

Model

Modeling Purposee.g. your

friend‘s birthday

Modeling Methode.g. interviewing yourGrandma and takinghand-written notes


Develop your individual example

Context (Model Domain)

Abstract

Model

Modeling Purpose???

Modeling Method???

Source: Scheer/Habermann/Thomas

???

???


Missing the two-faced god orwhy technical system design needs architectures and models


BusinessWorld

TechnicalWorld (here: ICT)

UnderstandingBusiness

UnderstandingTechnology



BusinessPeople

TechPeople

BusinessWorld

ICTWorld



Markets, Orders,Efficiency, Costs,

Revenues… Servers, Systems, Classes, Tools, Plattforms…

BusinessPeople

TechPeople

BusinessWorld

ICTWorld

Missing the two-faced god orwhy system design needs architectures and models


Business-oriented

View

BusinessWorld

ICTWorld

SharedModelWorld

Missing the two-faced god orwhy system design needs architectures and models

Technologyoriented

View


Business

Towards a modeling architecture

Technology

Shared Model World


Business

Towards a modeling architecture

Technology


Business

Modeling views

Technology

Data Function …Orga


Business

Modeling phases

Technology

Step 1

Step 2

Step n

…


Business

Modeling architecture a.k.a. methodology

Technology

EA

Data Functions …Orga

… Analysis

Design…Implementation…


Modeling – a business example

Model Domain

Abstract

Model

here: process model

Modeling Purposee.g. introduction of

a new logistics system

Modeling Methodhere: Value Chain

Diagram

Source: Scheer/Habermann/Thomas


• Process: Aircraft production

• Activity: Check turbine

• Customer: Airline

• Process duration: 22 days (on avarage)

• Process: Production of aircraft 4711

• Activity: Check turbine 4711-13b

• Customer: Emirates (order 201012)

• Process duration: May 1st, 2009 to June 3rd, 2009

Types vs. instances

Business type Business instance


Summary: Ways of reducing complexity…

1. Reduce information by havinga step-by-step approach (phase model)

…

Business

Technology

Analysis

Design

Implementation


Summary: Ways of reducing complexity…

1. Reduce information by havinga step-by-step approach (phase model)

…

Business

Technology

Analysis

Design

Implementation

2. Reduce information by concentratingon particular enterprise aspects (set your focus by selecting a view)

Business

Technology

Data Function …Orga


Summary: Ways of reducing complexity

Procure-ment

Support

Pro-duction

ShippingSales

Sales4712

Sales4713

Sales4711

…

3. Reduce information by identifyingcommon rules and characteristics (develop a model!)

types

instances


Summary: Ways of reducing complexity

Procure-ment

Support

Pro-duction

ShippingSales

Sales4712

Sales4713

Sales4711

…

Procure-ment

Support

Pro-duction

ShippingSales

CheckResourcesHandle

RequestPresent

ProposalNegotiate Contract

PrepareProposal

…

3. Reduce information by identifyingcommon rules and characteristics(develop a model!)

4. Reduce information by settingthe focus on parts and pieces (develop specified sub-models)

types

instances

level 1

level 2

level 3, 4, 5 …


Imagine your product would be a car …


What are its parts?

Picture source: h ttp://farm3.static.flickr.com/2317/2066997439_41215dcafa_o.jpg


And how can you model their hierarchical structure?

…

…

… … …


Aggregation / specification –another example (now service engineering)

ebay

externalevent

externalcustomer

.. Shopping at ebay



ebay

externalevent

externalcustomer

.. Shopping at ebay

.. seeking insights (here: sub-processes) Auction

Support

PaymentShipping

Explo-ration



ebay

externalevent

externalcustomer

.. Shopping at ebay

.. seeking insights (here: sub-processes) Auction

Support

PaymentShipping

Explo-ration

.. aiming at a deeper understanding of all business activities (i.e. theirhierarchical structure as well as their business logic)

A2A1 A4 A5

A3

…


Top-down vs. bottom-up modeling(in practice you combine both approaches)

ebay

externalevent

externalcustomer

Auction

Support

PaymentShipping

Explo-ration

A2A1 A4 A5

A3

…

top-down

bottom-up


Summary: Modeling

VIEW(e.g. process)

PHASE(e.g. design)

(SUB)MODEL

METHOD(e.g. Value Chain)

REAL WORLD

focus shape


profession

To sum it up: we use models to find a common language …

belief, behavior

knowledge

belief, behavior knowledge

education

age group

gender

ethnicity

nationality

Hierarchicalposition

profession

education

age group

gender

ethnicity

nationality

Hierarchicalposition

Picture inspired by www.filderfunkost.org/lk_bayreuth/pix/interdiscourse.jpg

syntax

MODEL =TRANSLATOR

sematics


… in order to avoid inconsistent solutions …


… as well as unpleasant misfits


I cannot overemphasize this point!


last but not least …

how to collect

informationfor

requierements analysis?


Analyse the requirements (1/2)

OrganisationalRequirements

UsabilityRequirements

TechnicalRequirements

ExternalRequirements

COLLECT


Analyse the requirements (2/2)

Picture Source: Sony

OrganisationalRequirements

UsabilityRequirements

TechnicalRequirements

ExternalRequirements

COLLECT

DISCUSS

APPROVE

SystemAnalysis

Architecture Functions Data Others…


Inquiry problems –the difficulties of capturing the actual situation

• Crucial question: Where do you get your information from?-> often from document studies, observation and interviews

• Problem: those process descriptions typically don‘t match the reality– Information is missing/incomplete– Information is redundant/inconsistent– Information is misleading/false– Two particular problems in practice, if you interview people:

• Is the person unbiased and objective? • Can and will the person risk to be “brutally” honest?

– Descriptions are on divergent levels of detail– Descriptions are in the „language“of the business area,

where the knowledge owner belongs to

Thank you very much!

presentation by

Frank Habermann

founder of Becota and Professor of Business

http://de.linkedin.com/in/frankhabermann/en

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