Requirements Workflow

Figure 9-2 summarizes the activities in the Rational Unified Process that constitute the requirements workflow, as shown in the workflow diagram:

• Analyze the Problem . Gain agreement on a statement of the problem we are trying to solve; identify stakeholders; identify the boundaries and constraints of the system.

• Understand Stakeholder Needs . Using various elicitation techniques, gather stakeholder requests and obtain a clear understanding of the real needs of the users and stakeholders of the system.

• Define the System . Based on input from the stakeholders, establish the set of system features to be considered for delivery; determine the criteria that will be used to prioritize them and begin to set realistic expectations with the stakeholders on what features will be delivered; identify actors and use cases needed for each key feature.

• Manage the Scope of the System . Collect important information from stakeholders in the project and maintain those ”along with the requirements ”as requirement attributes to be used in prioritizing and scoping the agreed-upon set of requirements so the system can be delivered on time and on budget to meet the customers' expectations.

• Refine the System Definition . Using a use-case model, detail the software requirements of the system to come to an agreement with the customer on the functionality of the system, and capture other important requirements, such as nonfunctional requirements, design constraints, and so forth.

• Manage Changing Requirements . Use requirement attributes and traceability to assess the impact of changing requirements; use a central control authority, such as a Change Control Board (CCB), to control changes to the requirements; maintain agreement with the customer and set realistic expectations on what will be delivered.

Figure 9-2. Workflow in requirements