When you're a startup or an SME developing a new business idea, a lot of advice is thrown at you. What's the market for the end product, what will the branding be like? When's the best time for launch? Less time is spent asking this crucial question: do you know how it will actually work?
Key areas you need to be focusing on at the start of your project include:
- What are the platform requirements?
- What will the user experience be like?
- What are the key criteria for success?
- What external systems do you need to integrate with?
- What security considerations do you need to include?
Time spent defining requirement reduces project disasters
Remember that most errors or faults found in final software or application solutions are introduced when requirements gathering activities aren't given enough time or rigour. These tasks normally get allocated less than 12% of the total project time with the lion's share allocated to development and testing the solution. It makes a kind of intuitive sense -- surely the things that will take longest is where you should concentrate your efforts, right?
But the sad truth is that poor definition and control can lead to a snowballing effect of errors throughout development. It also often leads to poor alignment of the developed solution to the business strategy and objectives... meaning that even if it works, it doesn't do what you wanted it to.
The process of requirements engineering ensures rigour in understanding and documenting requirements. It helps avoid these problems during solution development. It can help you vastly reduce the chance of budget overspend and missed launch dates, user complaints and market rejection of the end product.
How to ensure robust requirements
Centrocol has decades of experience in scoping, designing and managing software development projects. We will get to know what you want, define and document your requirements and can help you manage your project through development to delivery.
Through engaging workshops and the ability to get to the heart of the matter, we've helped many organisations get a clear understanding of what they require from their digital platforms.
During the process, you'll receive System Requirements Design Document containing the following:
- Comprehensively documented definitions of:
- System actors and interactions
- System entities and relationships
- Supporting business processes
- Statement of technical requirements concerning:
- Hosting/Infrastructure
- Security
- Business continuity
- Detailed statements of Functional and Non-functional requirements
- Statement of Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Plus more vital information to help you be sure your project will stay on track and have a much better chance of success!
Pro tip: Much of the Requirements Gathering costs can be covered by government-backed funding, reducing the financial outlay and risk.
Do you have a scoping horror story? If you'd like to share, please use the comments to share. (Please don't name names, rather the lessons learned.)
