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Understanding Needs

A1

Identify and understand user/customer needs (e.g. user requirements, analytics, feedback, issues).

Improvement Planning

Practices-Outcomes-Metrics (POM)

Representative POMs are described for Understanding Needs at each level of maturity.

2Basic
  • Practice
    Ensure business analysts identify requirements up front in an initial requirements gathering activity.
    Outcome
    There is an understanding of requirements before the organization commits to solution development.
    Metrics
    • # of IT requirements identified.
    • % user acceptance rate.
  • Practice
    Gather needs from high-profile users.
    Outcome
    The needs of high-profile users are considered in the solution development.
    Metric
    # of users involved in gathering needs.
  • Practice
    Document and store needs.
    Outcomes
    • Needs are documented but probably not in a systematic way.
    • Needs are not always made accessible to relevant stakeholders.
    Metric
    % documented needs that are made accessible to relevant stakeholders.
3Intermediate
  • Practice
    Gather and analyse needs in an iterative way, using a number of facilitation practices and feedback loops with high user involvement.
    Outcome
    A good understanding of requirements is acquired throughout the design and development process, which can adapt to emerging user needs.
    Metrics
    • % of requirements that are implemented in the solution.
    • # of NFRs examined.
  • Practice
    Ensure that a broad spectrum of users are asked to make their needs known.
    Outcome
    The needs of a broad spectrum of users are gathered.
    Metric
    % of stakeholders made up from IT and other business units involved in the requirements gathering process.
  • Practice
    Document, store, and track needs in a way that is both accessible to key stakeholders and easily understood.
    Outcomes
    • Needs are documented, stored, and tracked in a systematic way.
    • Needs are accessible to relevant stakeholders and easily understood by them.
    Metrics
    • % of stakeholders who understand the relationship between needs and the solution in development.
    • % of needs repository that is discoverable.
4Advanced
  • Practice
    Gather and understand needs in an iterative way, using different methods, as appropriate, including for example, quantitative and qualitative approaches.
    Outcome
    An excellent understanding of requirements is acquired throughout the design and development process, which can adapt to emerging user needs.
    Metrics
    • % of requirements that are implemented in the solution.
    • # of NFRs examined.
  • Practice
    Ensure that all stakeholders contribute to identifying and understanding needs.
    Outcome
    There is a good understanding of the needs of all stakeholders (customers, users, business, test, operations, audit, security, etc.) when developing solutions.
    Metric
    % of stakeholders made up from IT and other business units involved in the requirements gathering process.
  • Practice
    Ensure that the relationships between needs and their connection to solutions are clear to multiple stakeholders.
    Outcome
    Needs are accessible and available to all relevant stakeholders, and their connection to solutions is clear.
    Metrics
    • % of stakeholders who understand the relationship between needs and the solution in development.
    • % of needs repository that is discoverable.
5Optimized
  • Practices
    • Gather and understand needs in an ongoing and iterative way until the need is met.
    • Use advanced qualitative and quantitative methods as necessary.
    • Use complementary facilitation practices to effectively and inclusively ensure that needs are continually understood.
    Outcome
    An advanced understanding of requirements is acquired throughout the design and development process, which can adapt creatively to emerging user needs.
    Metrics
    • % of requirements that are implemented in the solution.
    • # of NFRs examined.
  • Practice
    Gather needs proactively and collaboratively across all relevant stakeholders (customers, users, business, test, operations, audit, security, etc.).
    Outcomes
    • The capability to identify and understand the needs of all stakeholders is highly developed.
    • This contributes regularly to the identification of innovative features, which result in a competitive advantage for the organization.
    Metric
    % of internal and external stakeholders involved in the requirements gathering process.
  • Practice
    Record and store needs in an accessible, intuitive, and transparent way.
    Outcomes
    • Needs are accessible to all relevant stakeholders, and their connection to solutions is clear.
    • Use of appropriate and intuitive tools and approaches support inclusive and effective activities to build a greater understanding of needs.
    Metrics
    • % of stakeholders who understand the relationship between needs and the solution in development.
    • % of needs repository that is discoverable.