Requirements gathering is an important step in the lifecycle of any project. It’s a chance–sometimes a project’s only chance–to bring together a group of important stakeholders who can help clarify needs, make key decisions, and, most importantly, start the project off on the right foot.
The value of an in-person, creative requirements gathering session is intrinsic to the success of a project. These sessions typically involve lots of whiteboarding; input from consultants, end users, and developers; and a seriously robust list of things to do when all is said and done.
A few weeks ago, we had a client on site for one of these sessions. To get things going, we first defined our end users–the internal and external users whose lives will be impacted by anything new or different. Clearly defined users act as a North Star to solution crafting. By keeping those users at the center of our discussion during requirements gathering, participant ideas and decisions focus on what matters most.
While this wasn’t my first requirements gathering session, it was my first at Red Argyle. It was a truly collaborative and creative session. We walked away with clarity on users, actual solutions for business needs, technical direction, and an understanding of how and when our client’s business needs would be met.
I’m the director of services and strategy, the newest member of the Red Argyle team. Participating in this recent requirements gathering session allowed me to see firsthand what we’re doing right in the areas of services and strategy. Making sure that our clients are happy and our deliverables are solid, addressing real business needs, and ensuring that our staff is productive and that their own passions can rise to the surface are some of the areas I’ll continue to focus on in my role here. The people, projects, and clients at Red Argyle all offer me an exciting opportunity to learn, grow, and put to good use my skills and passion for the challenges of technology–just what I’m looking for–and our requirements gathering process is just part of the picture.
Do you want to learn more about our approach? Email me your questions–I’d love to hear from you!
