Identify Customer Value Ratings (Process Notes 7.1.2)

When evaluating design alternatives, it is helpful if you know which requirements are absolutely vital and which ones are there because someone thought they would be "nice to have."

Ask your stakeholders to grade each requirement for customer satisfaction on a scale from 1 to 5:

1 = Unperturbed if this requirement is satisfactorily implemented

5 = Very happy if this requirement is satisfactorily implemented

Ask your stakeholders to grade each requirement for customer dissatisfaction on a scale from 1 to 5:

1 = Unperturbed if this requirement is not satisfactorily implemented

5 = Extremely unhappy if this requirement is not satisfactorily implemented

The dependencies between requirements will help you assign the customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction ratings. For example, if you have a requirement with a satisfaction rating of 5 and that requirement is dependent on three other requirements, then the dependent requirements are also likely to have a satisfaction rating of 5.

The point of having a satisfaction rating and a dissatisfaction rating is that they guide the stakeholders to think of the requirements from two different perspectives. In addition, they help you uncover what stakeholders care about most deeply.