2. Interviewing is a simple and direct technique.
Context-free questions can help achieve bias-
free
interviews.
Then, it may be appropriate to search for
undiscovered requirements by exploring
solutions.
Convergence on some common needs will
initiate a
"requirements repository" for use during the
3. User interview-requirement gathering
technique
A simple, direct technique that can be used in
virtually every situation.
Describes the interviewing process and
provides a generic template.
for conducting user and stakeholder
interviews.
4. Biases and predispositions of the interviewer
do not interfere with a free exchange of
information.
we shouldn't let our context interfere with
understanding the real problem to be solved .
we operate within a repetitive domain or
context in which certain elements of the
solution are obvious, or at least appear to be
obvious.
5. We have solved this type of problem before,
and we fully expect that our experience will
apply in this new case.
No idea about potential solution.
we shouldn't let our context interfere with
understanding the real problem to be solved.
6. The interview context
The context free question.
By asking questions about the nature of the
user's problem without any context for a
potential solution.
To address this problem, Gause and Weinberg
(1989) introduced the concept of the "context-
free question."
7.
8. These questions force us to listen before
attempting to invent or to describe a potential
solution.
A better understanding of the customer's
problem.
Problems affecting customers motivation &
behaviour must be addressed.
9. Solution selling
the salesperson uses a series of questions
focused on first gaining a real understanding
of the customer's problem and what solutions,
if any, the customer already envisions.
10. Value added text.
Solutions are explored after the context-free
questions have been asked and answered.
structured interview.-context-free and non-
context-free sections.
11.
12.
13.
14. The Moment of Truth: The Interview
With a little preparation and with the structured
interview in one's pocket, any member of the
team can do an adequate job of interviewing a
user or customer.
15. Prepare an appropriate context-free interview,
and jot it down in a notebook for reference
during the interview.
Review the questions just prior to the
interview.
Before the interview, research the background
of the stakeholder and the company to be
interviewed.
16. Jot down answers in your notebook during the
interview.
Refer to the template during the interview to
make certain that the right questions are being
asked.
17. The interviewer should make sure that the
script is not overly constraining.
Once rapport has been established, the
interview is likely to take on a life of its own.
Ask follow-up questions about the information
that has just been provided.
18. The developer can summarize the key user
needs or product features that were defined in
the interview.
These "user needs" live near the top of our
requirements pyramid and serve as the driving
force for all of the work that follows.
19. Compiling the Need Data
Your problem analysis will have identified the
key stakeholders and users you will need to
interview to gain an understanding of the
stakeholder's needs.
The Analyst's Summary: 10 + 10 + 10 ? 30
20. "three most important needs or problems
"uncovered in this interview.
In many cases, after just a few interviews,
these highest-priority needs will start to be
repeated.
Requirements repository.
21. The Case Study
The HOLIS team decided to have the marketing team (Eric and
Cathy) develop the questions for the interview but wanted
everyone
on the team to experience the process and to have the
opportunity
to meet customers face to face and thereby "see" the problem
and
a potential solution from the customer's perspective. So, the
team
divided up the customer and distributor list and had each team
member interview two people. The team used the Analyst's
Summary to summarize the needs that were provided and
weeded
out the duplicates. After fifteen interviews, the team had
identified
20-some needs to fill in the top of their requirements pyramid.
22. From the homeowner's
perspective:
Flexible and modifiable lighting control for entire house
• "Futureproof" ("As technology changes, I'd like compatibility
with new technologies that might emerge.")
• Attractive, unobtrusive, ergonomic
• Fully independent and programmable or (reconfigurable)
switches for each room in the house
• Additional security and peace of mind
• Intuitive operation ("I'd like to be able to explain it to my
'technophobic' mother.")
• A reasonable system cost, with low switch costs
• Easy and inexpensive to fix
• Flexible switch configurations (from one to seven "buttons"
per switch)
• Out of sight, out of mind
• 100% reliability
• Vacation security settings
• Ability to create scenes, such
23. From the Distributor's
Perspective:
A competitive product offering
Some strong product differentiation
Easy to train my salespeople
Can be demonstrated in my shop
High gross margins
24. A Note on Questionnaires
No substitute for interview.
When it comes to requirements gathering, the
questionnaire technique has some
fundamental problems.
Relevant questions cannot be decided in
advance.
The assumptions behind the questions bias
the answers.
25. Did this class meet your expectations?
Assumption: You had expectations, so this is a
meaningful question.
It is difficult to explore new domains and there
is no interaction to explore domains that need
to be explored.
Unclear responses from the user are difficult
to follow up on.
26. Indeed, some have concluded that the
questionnaire technique suppresses almost
everything good about requirements gathering,
and therefore, we generally do not recommend
it for this purpose.
A questionnaire can be used effectively to
gather a significant amount of focused data in
a short period of time.
