Manage the Scope of the System

Level: Intermediate

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About the Author

Nilanjana Pal Id: 105583 Senior Executive - Academy Version: 1.0

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Chapter Information
This gives an overview on: Defining the system scope and establishing the requirements baseline Requirements Baseline, System Scope, Attributes, Prioritize Use case, Negotiation skills, Manage Scope, Product Champion After completing this module, you will be able to, Identify the Activities and Artifacts in the Managing Scope workflow Identify ways scope commonly is defined Define the System Scope Relate scope to customer requirements and use Establish the Requirements Baseline List the cases uses for Requirement Attributes Prioritize Use cases Critically evaluate conventional wisdom about Justify need for Process to manage Scope. Identify ways to manage why scope creeps expectation Identify ways to improve Negotiation skills Describe requirements management of scope Explain the role of the Product Champion Intro to Requirements Management

Introduction

Keywords

Learning Objectives

Prerequisites

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Scenario
In an I.T. project, which is outsourced or built in-house, the project team works with the client to gather the requirements. This requirement definition analysis phase involves meetings, interviews, and questionnaires with the client about the current system and their future needs. Usually the following issues arise: - The clients are unable to specify exactly what they want in the beginning until they see the product. - It is also often difficult for business users to visualize how the new system will be until they see it.

Any issues?

When the users do see the new system for the first time, changes may be needed because any new applications will be initially unfamiliar to users.

Any issues? Any issues? Any issues?

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The idea the business users have in mind is that, "We are spending so much time and money anyway, so let us add this during the testing phase".

This expands the scope way beyond what you can accomplish or really need. How do we handle this problem?

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Activities and Artifacts

The purpose of Managing System Scope workflow is to:

Define input to the selection of requirements that are to be included in the current iteration.

Define the set of features and use cases that represent some significant central functionality. Any issues?

Define which attributes and traceability to maintain.

Artifacts:

Software Architecture Documents

Revised Vision document

Refined Requirements Attributes

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System Scope

Scope Management

Is maintaining a healthy tension between what the customer wants (maximum features) and what the development team believes it can deliver in a fixed timeframe.

Any issues?

System Scope

The Scope of a project is defined by the set of requirements allocated to it. Managing the project scope to fit the available resources (time, people, and money) is key to managing successful projects. Any issues?

Managing scope is a continuous activity that requires iterative or incremental development, which breaks the project scope into smaller, more manageable pieces. Any issues?

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Project Managers Triangle Triple Constraints

Product/Scope (Functionality and Quality)

Cost (Resources)

Time (Schedule)

Product/Scope, cost, schedule: pick two

Appropriate, necessary work must be accomplished adequately within available time and budget
2011

GO PRO MANAGEMENT, INC.

Defining Scope So It Doesnt Creep: Different Approaches

Narrative description of purposes and objectives (typical management dictate approach) List of tasks which will be performed, how theyll be performed, and their deliverables (typical provider approach) Products/systems/software (Problem Pyramid box 6 hows) to be created (typical development view) High-level itemized business deliverable whats (Problem Pyramid box 5, not so typical, but most effective customer approach to reduce creep)
2011

GO PRO MANAGEMENT, INC.

System Scope (Cont.)

List of tips for avoiding Scope creep but at the same time allowing change:

Real requirements: Identify what is really needed for business objectiveprototyping and iterative development.

Minimum requirements: Practice of a minimum requirements strategy; no gold plating, no including what might be needed.

All requirements should be recorded and identified by a source.

Reqs Realize all requirements have a cost and schedule impact. Mgmt All requirements come through a well-identified channel not from various

random sources.

Expectation management and communication with the customer about what will be in each iteration.

Much of scope creep results from products not satisfying REAL business/customer/stakeholder/user requirements, mainly because they have not been defined adequately
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Requirements Negotiation
Implementation Project Scope
Negotiated HighLevel Conceptual Design

Initial Top-Level Business Requirements (Inclusive, resources dont change business requirements)

Feasibility Analysis Implementation Prioritization and Tradeoff (Phases)

Initial High-Level Conceptual Design

Scope Top-Level Bus. Requirements (Negotiated Exclusions)

Review and Refine

Time, Cost Estimates Risks

Detailed Bus. Requirements

Product Sys. Requirements Specs Use Cases

Requirements Scope: Problem Pyramid

2012

GO PRO MANAGEMENT, INC.

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Establish the Requirements Baseline

Requirements Baseline

This is the set of features that constitutes the agreed upon basis for development.

This can only be changed through a formal procedure.

More effective when REAL business/customer requirements

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The Uses for Requirement Attributes

Requirement Attributes provide a link between requirements and other project elements.

For example, status provides the current status of each requirement and effort estimates the work involved to meet each requirement.

Uses for Requirement attributes are: Calculating software metrics Managing project risk Estimating costs Assuring user safety

Managing project scope

Assigning resources

Scheduling

Assessing status

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13

Prioritize Use Cases

The Architect point of view to Prioritize Use cases:

Consider use cases linked to features in the baseline scope.

Select the scenarios for architectural iterations based on the flows that:

Represent significant , central functionality

Have a substantial architectural coverage

Stress a specific, delicate point of the architecture

Have been identified as high risk

As project moves from phase to phase, the criteria for prioritizing use cases changes.

During elaboration, we select use cases or scenarios to mitigate the technical as quickly as possible.

During construction, we select use cases or scenarios to deliver essential functionality before non-essential functionality. (80-20 rule)

During the testing / transition phase again the focus changes

Any issues?
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Copyright 2004, Cognizant Academy, All Rights Reserved

Prioritize Use Cases

The System analyst point of view to Prioritize Use cases:

Consider the priority of stakeholder requests and features in the baseline scope.

Select the scenarios for the iteration based on the flows that:

Trace to high-priority stakeholder requests

Represent the main use of the system (80:20 rule)

Are related to features that once delivered, allow us to receive an incremental payment.

Provide any key differentiator to major competitors.

Architect/analyst distinction questionable at best. Does Agile and its product backlog affect it?
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Prioritize Use Cases

- Architect point-of-view - System Analyst point-of-view

Prioritize the following Use cases based on their Requirement Attributes as per the:

Any issues?

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Issues Prioritizing Use Cases 1 of 2

Judgment too, not purely mechanical High-medium-low, mandatory-desirable-ideal distinctions often are Harder to make than realized Unreliable Meaningless when everything is mandatory/high Unstable use cases signal inadequately-defined REAL business (customer) requirements

2011

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Issues Prioritizing Use Cases 2 of 2

Customer priority overwhelmingly controls Requirements risk of not meeting business need Impact times likelihood of problem Testing helps mitigate Development considerations can override Needed to enable other, more visible, use cases Difficult and risky development generally better addressed earlier Project management risks related to resources, time, methods, and tools
2011

GO PRO MANAGEMENT, INC.

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Need for Process to Manage Scope

Key factor in Managing Scope is an effective Change Management Process.

New Feature Reqt Design Code Test Change Request (CR) Maint Help Desk User Inputs New Requirement Bug

Single Channel for Approval

Customer and User Inputs Marketing Coders Inputs Testers Inputs

Approved Decision Process (CCB)

Change Control Board

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Ways to Manage Expectation

Understand the customer expectations

Limit the expectations as appropriate

Include the source of the limitation

Under-promise and over-deliver

Communication is very important; avoid surprises.

Too often manage expectations is equated to saying NO

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Negotiation Skills

Negotiation skills are key to any successful, multi-party program.

Tips to improve Negotiation skills:

Start Negotiations with high demands, but dont be unreasonable

Separate people from the problem

Focus on interests not positions

Understand your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Arrangement (BATNA)

Invent options for mutual gain

Use diplomacy

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21

Product Champion

This is not a job title but a role played by a key individual.

The role is to:

Help manage the project scope

Own the product vision

Defend against feature creep

Negotiate with management, users and developers

Maintain a balance between customer needs and what can be delivered on time

The Product Champion represents the official channel between the Customer and the development team.

Copyright 2004, Cognizant Academy, All Rights Reserved

22

Summary

The Scope of a project is defined by the set of requirements allocated to it.

Managing the project scope to fit the available resources (time, people, and money) is key to managing successful projects.

Requirements Baseline is the set of features that constitutes the agreed upon basis for development and that can only be changed through a formal procedure.

As the project moves from phase to phase, the criteria for prioritizing use cases changes.

Negotiation skills are key to any successful, multi-party program.

The Product Champion represents the official channel between the Customer and the development team.

Copyright 2004, Cognizant Academy, All Rights Reserved

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Learning Reinforcements

Define Scope Management.

What are the roles of the Architect and the Analyst in managing Scope?

How do the System Analyst's view on priority of use cases differ with the Architect's view on the same..?

List the uses for Requirement Attributes.

What is the role of the Product Champion?

Copyright 2004, Cognizant Academy, All Rights Reserved

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For Reference

The following items will provide more information on the subjects covered in this course: Description Reference Topic or Module

Resource Type

Book

Writing Effective Use case (by Alistair Cockburn)

Book

Managing Software Requirements 2nd Edition (by Dean Leffingwell Don Widrig)
Managing Changing Requirements

PDF

Traceability Strategies for Managing Requirements with Use Cases .PDF

URL

Rational RUP Process http://www-

03.ibm.com/certify/certs/rlrcrmc3.shtml

White Paper

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Assessment Quiz

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Congratulations! You have successfully completed

Manage the Scope of the System