Determine the Work Context (Process Notes 1.2.2)

The context is the starting point for requirements. The context diagram isolates the part of the world that you will study to satisfy the project objectives. It shows the interfaces between your project and other people, organizations, and technology. It is the best place to reach the initial agreement on which part of the world is related to your project and what the product is expected to do.

The context is rarely as large as it should beit should include the entire application domain. You must be careful not to have too small a context or a context that represents only the intended computer system. Users often describe the system they want in terms of what they think a computer can possibly do. Thus, by accepting this description of a computer system as a context, you miss out on other opportunities to automate or improve processes. Your context should include the business processes that are relevant to understanding the subject matter of your project. Some of the business processes carried out by the end users (provided they help you understand the application domain) will be within your detailed context of study.