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Discovering Real Business Requirements for Software Project Success (Computing Library) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Defining business requirements is the most important and poorest performed part of system development..." (more)
Key Phrases: requirements definers, strawman requirements, itemized deliverables, Ann Analyst, Proactive Testing, Engineered Deliverable Quality (more...)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

While a number of books on the market deal with software requirements, this is the first resource to offer you a methodology for discovering and testing the real business requirements that software products must meet in order to provide value. The book provides you with practical techniques that help prevent the main causes of requirements creep, which in turn enhances software development success and satisfaction among the organizations that apply these approaches. Complementing discovery methods, you also learn more than 21 ways to test business requirements from the perspectives of assessing suitability of form, identifying overlooked requirements, and evaluating substance and content.

The powerful techniques and methods presented are applied to a real business case from a company recognized for world-class excellence. You are introduced to the innovative Problem Pyramidtm technique which helps you more reliably identify the real problem and requirements content. From an examination of key methods for gathering and understanding information about requirements, to seven guidelines for documenting and communicating requirements, while avoiding analysis paralysis, this book is a comprehensive, single source for uncovering the real business requirements for your software development projects.

About the Author

Robin F. Goldsmith is President of Go Pro Management, Inc., a consultancy in Needham, MA. He has extensive information systems experience, having worked in this capacity for the City of Cleveland, large financial institutions, and a "Big Four" management consulting firm. Mr. Goldsmith presents public and in-house seminars and is a frequent speaker at leading leading software development and quality/testing conferences. He earned his LL.M. in taxation law at Boston University, J.D. at Suffolk University, M.S. in psychology from Pennsylvania State University, and A.B. in psychology from Kenyon College.

Product Details

Hardcover: 241 pages
Publisher: Artech House Publishers (March 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1580537707
ISBN-13: 978-1580537704
Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.2 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #598,309 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!

Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
Defining business requirements is the most important and poorest performed part of system development. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
requirements definers, strawman requirements, itemized deliverables, overlooked deliverables, problem pyramid, order processing manager, full end result, real business requirements, mini definition, documenting business requirements, product system requirements, defining business requirements, presumed process, requirements creep, overlooked requirements, manufacturing planners, formal technical review, requirements discovery, deliverable whats, customer specialist, real requirements, documenting requirements, reviewing requirements, technical folks, user stories

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Ann Analyst, Proactive Testing, Engineered Deliverable Quality, Track Changes, New York, Receives Order Want Date, Software Engineering Body of Knowledge, United States, Accept Changes, Mastering the Requirements Process, Problem Cause

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!

Citations (learn more)

This book cites 36 books:

Mastering the Requirements Process (2nd Edition) by Suzanne Robertson on page 48, page 65, and page 123
Handbook of Walkthroughs by Gerald M. Weinberg on page 29, and page 30
Software Inspection by Tom Gilb on page 29, and page 30
Rapid Development: Taming Wild Software Schedules by Steve McConnell on page 48, and page 49
Software Requirements, Second Edition (Pro-Best Practices) by Karl E. Wiegers on page 38, and page 48

See all 36 books this book cites

9 books cite this book:

Practical Insight into Cmmi (Artech House Computing Library) by Tim Kasse in Back Matter
Text Mining for Biology And Biomedicine by Sophia Ananiadou in Back Matter
Information Systems Development: Methodologies, Techniques and Tools by David Avison on page 108
Facilitating the Project Lifecycle: The Skills & Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series) by Janet A. Means on page 370
Agile Systems With Reusable Patterns of Business Knowledge: A Component-Based Approach (Artech House Computing Library) by Amit Mitra in Back Matter

See all 9 books citing this book

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Testing Requirements is Part of Discovering Requirements, September 2, 2004

By	Johanna Rothman (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you ever wanted to know if your requirements were accurate and complete, this book will help. As Robin says on p. 13, "...we're going to intermix discovery methods with techniques for testing the adequacy of requirements." Using his problem pyramid - which includes a way to measure the problem and the solution - Robin discusses several techniques to elicit and define requirements.

Robin defines 64 techniques to test requirements - throughout a project. For example, test method #17, "identify assumptions" is common sense that too few people remember. Test method #53 is "Defining acceptance criteria," a technique useful for any project if you want to know you've built what the customer wanted.

Between the problem pyramid emphasis on measurement and the various tests, the book can help you meet its promise of preventing too much requirements change throughout a project.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book will improve the quality of your products !, May 17, 2004

By	Joe Fisher - See all my reviews

As a Software Developer and Consultant, I found this book to be a clear and practical guide that will be a valuable asset to all system development professionals.

I strongly recommend it to all systems professionals, and believe it is a MUST HAVE for systems analysts !

The book presents a step-by-step methodology that contrasts how things are "normally" done with how they should be done to achieve optimum results and satisfied customers.

In addition to analyzing why and how traditional approaches fail, the text provides a comprehensive checklist that can be followed to avoid common mistakes and improve the quality of the most significant aspect of develop: gathering and documenting requirements !

Presented in a easy-to-read format sprinkled with wry humor, you are likely to find it a more enjoyable read than most technical texts.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Differentiates Identification of Business Problems from the Solution Alternatives, December 19, 2007

By	Paul L. (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

The 64 ways to test requirements are good and helpful, and you'll need to determine how many of these techniques (and with what rigor) could/should be applied to your project in your organizational context. The greatest benefit for me from reading this book was understanding the distinction Goldsmith makes between business problems and the solution design alternatives that might address them. I've witnessed problems on projects where this distinction was not understood, and I'm convinced that identifying the business problem(s) and business requirements first is critical before undertaking software requirements and solution alternatives.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Practical Application
Concise, addressing the essentials of discovering the 'real' business requirements of an organization. Read more

Published 9 months ago by Kevin R. Winegardner

5.0 out of 5 stars "Real" information for Business Users to Communicate
This book will be a great aid for me in helping Business Users to make better requests by outlining the business problems in such a way that technicians can meet their needs with... Read more

Published on February 16, 2007 by Carole E. Sandman

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book by an experienced practicioner
I wanted to find a book that I could recommend to my requirements-challenged clients. This was the first I bought and the last I'll need. Read more

Published on November 4, 2006 by Alf

5.0 out of 5 stars Defining requirements for software gurus and the rest of us
This book is eminently readable for all practitioners who have to deal with the challenge of identifying and adequately defining requirements. Read more

Published on January 3, 2005 by Denise Robitaille

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