Comments on: What Are Requirements? http://pmstudent.com/what-are-requirements/ Helping new and aspiring project managers reach their career goals! Wed, 23 May 2012 19:32:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: TheJudge http://pmstudent.com/what-are-requirements/#comment-11391 TheJudge Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:27:16 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=3045#comment-11391 Requirements gathering should be a collaborative effort. Granted I've only worked in IT projects but the ones that worked well the requirements were good as a result of back and forth communication. Excuse me business owner, what do you mean by X or Y? Do you possibly mean Z? Could we get clarification on A? Stuff like that. I know it sounds basic and I guess it is but so important. Though unfortunate the talk of blame is real in every situation. Sure the business owner may take the brunt of the blame but the IT department can also take credibility hits when the fit hits the shan. Teamwork, communication, clarity. Good things. Requirements gathering should be a collaborative effort. Granted I’ve only worked in IT projects but the ones that worked well the requirements were good as a result of back and forth communication. Excuse me business owner, what do you mean by X or Y? Do you possibly mean Z? Could we get clarification on A? Stuff like that. I know it sounds basic and I guess it is but so important.

Though unfortunate the talk of blame is real in every situation. Sure the business owner may take the brunt of the blame but the IT department can also take credibility hits when the fit hits the shan. Teamwork, communication, clarity. Good things.

]]> By: TheJudge http://pmstudent.com/what-are-requirements/#comment-25122 TheJudge Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:27:00 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=3045#comment-25122 Requirements gathering should be a collaborative effort. Granted I've only worked in IT projects but the ones that worked well the requirements were good as a result of back and forth communication. Excuse me business owner, what do you mean by X or Y? Do you possibly mean Z? Could we get clarification on A? Stuff like that. I know it sounds basic and I guess it is but so important. Though unfortunate the talk of blame is real in every situation. Sure the business owner may take the brunt of the blame but the IT department can also take credibility hits when the fit hits the shan. Teamwork, communication, clarity. Good things. Requirements gathering should be a collaborative effort. Granted I’ve only worked in IT projects but the ones that worked well the requirements were good as a result of back and forth communication. Excuse me business owner, what do you mean by X or Y? Do you possibly mean Z? Could we get clarification on A? Stuff like that. I know it sounds basic and I guess it is but so important.

Though unfortunate the talk of blame is real in every situation. Sure the business owner may take the brunt of the blame but the IT department can also take credibility hits when the fit hits the shan. Teamwork, communication, clarity. Good things.

]]> By: ejly http://pmstudent.com/what-are-requirements/#comment-11183 ejly Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:59:41 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=3045#comment-11183 A necessary precursor to requirements gathering (of whatever sort) is clarifying the objective. A solid objective makes project success much more likely, and requirements naturally flow from it. Engaging in requirements specification without a stated objective is more often associated with failure - and too often in the rush to show project progress via GANTT, this objective-making step gets paid too little heed. A necessary precursor to requirements gathering (of whatever sort) is clarifying the objective. A solid objective makes project success much more likely, and requirements naturally flow from it. Engaging in requirements specification without a stated objective is more often associated with failure – and too often in the rush to show project progress via GANTT, this objective-making step gets paid too little heed.

]]> By: ejly http://pmstudent.com/what-are-requirements/#comment-25120 ejly Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:59:00 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=3045#comment-25120 A necessary precursor to requirements gathering (of whatever sort) is clarifying the objective. A solid objective makes project success much more likely, and requirements naturally flow from it. Engaging in requirements specification without a stated objective is more often associated with failure - and too often in the rush to show project progress via GANTT, this objective-making step gets paid too little heed. A necessary precursor to requirements gathering (of whatever sort) is clarifying the objective. A solid objective makes project success much more likely, and requirements naturally flow from it. Engaging in requirements specification without a stated objective is more often associated with failure – and too often in the rush to show project progress via GANTT, this objective-making step gets paid too little heed.

]]> By: Glen B. Alleman http://pmstudent.com/what-are-requirements/#comment-11180 Glen B. Alleman Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:25:20 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=3045#comment-11180 Sarah, To answer your question - "who gets blamed" - needs to look at the organization of the Project. In successful IT and other complex programs, the management team must be structured in for success. The Book Project Delivery System: Fourth Edition, http://www.amazon.com/Project-Delivery-System-CH2M-Mangers/dp/0965261611/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247584942&sr=8-2 provides good insight into how to make the connection between all the participants in a project. Without these connections the only person(s) to blame are the business owners. It was their money and they didn't organize the project correctly. The same answer (the business is to blame) would be for a "store opening failure," a merge and acquisition failure, a new product line failure. The notion that IT projects are somehow different from store openings, M&A's, new product launches is the core source of failure. Sarah,
To answer your question – “who gets blamed” – needs to look at the organization of the Project.

In successful IT and other complex programs, the management team must be structured in for success.

The Book Project Delivery System: Fourth Edition, http://www.amazon.com/Project-Delivery-System-CH2M-Mangers/dp/0965261611/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247584942&sr=8-2

provides good insight into how to make the connection between all the participants in a project.

Without these connections the only person(s) to blame are the business owners. It was their money and they didn’t organize the project correctly. The same answer (the business is to blame) would be for a “store opening failure,” a merge and acquisition failure, a new product line failure.

The notion that IT projects are somehow different from store openings, M&A’s, new product launches is the core source of failure.

]]> By: Glen B. Alleman http://pmstudent.com/what-are-requirements/#comment-25118 Glen B. Alleman Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:25:00 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=3045#comment-25118 Sarah, To answer your question - "who gets blamed" - needs to look at the organization of the Project. In successful IT and other complex programs, the management team must be structured in for success. The Book Project Delivery System: Fourth Edition, http://www.amazon.com/Project-Delivery-System-CH2M-Mangers/dp/0965261611/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247584942&sr=8-2 provides good insight into how to make the connection between all the participants in a project. Without these connections the only person(s) to blame are the business owners. It was their money and they didn't organize the project correctly. The same answer (the business is to blame) would be for a "store opening failure," a merge and acquisition failure, a new product line failure. The notion that IT projects are somehow different from store openings, M&A's, new product launches is the core source of failure. Sarah,
To answer your question – “who gets blamed” – needs to look at the organization of the Project.

In successful IT and other complex programs, the management team must be structured in for success.

The Book Project Delivery System: Fourth Edition, http://www.amazon.com/Project-Delivery-System-CH2M-Mangers/dp/0965261611/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247584942&sr=8-2

provides good insight into how to make the connection between all the participants in a project.

Without these connections the only person(s) to blame are the business owners. It was their money and they didn’t organize the project correctly. The same answer (the business is to blame) would be for a “store opening failure,” a merge and acquisition failure, a new product line failure.

The notion that IT projects are somehow different from store openings, M&A’s, new product launches is the core source of failure.

]]>