Requirements Analysis - Requirements Engineering and Management for Software Development Projects - page 64

4.3 Resolving the Issues that Cropped up During the Analysis
We have noted during the discussion on analyzing the requirements that some
issues/inconsistencies could crop up. These issues could be stemming from
requirement feasibility, shortfall of information for inputs, outputs or process
steps, contradictory requirements, duplicate requirements, logical grouping of
requirements, and prioritizing the requirements. We need to resolve all the issues
before we move on to the next phase of requirements management. We need to,
perhaps, go back to the end users or their superiors or technical or domain experts
or whosoever provided us the information and discuss the issue and resolve all the
issues. Once we resolve an issue, we need to update the enumerated requirements
to reflect the resolution.
4.4 Deliverables of Requirements Analysis Phase
Upon completion of the requirements analysis, we would have the following
1. A list of all requirements
2. A list of gaps, in the case of COTS product implementation
3. All issues in requirements are resolved
4. Priorities and a tentative schedule for implementation of requirements
5. Stakeholders for all requirements are identified
6. All requirements are logically grouped
We would only have one document, perhaps a spreadsheet or information inside
a tool that would have all the information noted above. We would also have the
information collated in the elicitation and gathering phase. Now we are fully
armed to begin the establishment of project requirements.
4.5 Final Words
It is normal practice in the industry to carry out this phase informally. That is no
formal enumeration of requirements is carried out. All the steps in the analysis
detailed in the foregoing sections are also omitted. What normally happens is that
these activities are combined with the establishment of requirements. Once the
requirements information is collated during the elicitation and gathering phase,
the preparation of the requirements specification document is embarked upon and
the analysis steps discussed in this chapter are concurrently carried out. In smaller
projects of short duration, perhaps, analysis can be combined with establishment of
the requirements. But in larger projects and especially in product development, it
pays to formally carry out analysis. I have seen technical failures of large projects