Database Reference
In-Depth Information
samples of the kinds of documentation you can use. Then, in Chapter 6, we
discuss the compilation and distillation of the required data into design
requirements.
The key to effectively gathering requirements that lead to good design is
to have a well-planned, detailed gathering process. You should be able to
develop and follow a methodology that includes repeatable processes and
standardized documents so that you can rely on the process no matter
which project you are working on. This approach allows you to focus on the
quality of the data being gathered while maintaining a high level of effi-
ciency. No one wants to pay a consultant or designer to relearn this phase
of design; you should be comfortable walking into any situation, knowing
that this step of the process will be smooth sailing. Because you'll talk to a
number of the key stakeholders during this phase, they need to get a sense
of confidence in your process. This confidence will help them buy in to the
design you eventually present.
The next several sections outline the kinds of data you need to gather,
along with possible methods for gathering that data. We also present sam-
ple questions and forms that you can use to document the information you
gather from the users you talk with. In the end, you should be able to
choose many of these methods, forms, and questions to build your own
process, one you can reuse for your design projects.
There are four basic ways to collect requirements for a project: conduct-
ing user and stakeholder interviews, observing users, examining existing
processes, and building use cases. Each of these methods provides insight
into what is actually needed in the data model.
Conducting Interviews
Arguably the most used information gathering technique is the interview.
It's natural; when you want to know something, usually you go ask the per-
son you think can answer the question. So, when designing a new applica-
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