Requirements Engineering: Clear requirements in IT projects!
“Clearly formulated and documented requirements are essential for project success and significantly reduce project risks.”
Birger van der Spek, Business Team Lead, Business Process Automation
For the implementation or replacement of new software, merely defining a project budget and plan is insufficient. Software development and configuration fundamentally commence with requirements management.
However, experience shows that 'aspirations and reality' often diverge significantly in this process, leading to considerable disappointment. Why is this so? The simple answer is that professional requirements management, also known as Requirements Engineering (RE), is frequently absent. This phenomenon is prevalent in both large corporations with qualified personnel and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that may have lower IT maturity.
“I often find that many people initially struggle with the terms 'requirements elicitation or management'. When asked about the functional requirements of the software, I typically receive counter-questions like 'What capabilities does it possess?' or 'Essentially, it should be like the existing system – but improved.' As a consultant, such responses naturally impede progress. These questions clearly highlight the indispensable need for professional requirements management.”
Tim Bossink, Senior Consultant, Business Process Automation
What is Requirements Management / Requirements Engineering?
Requirements management supports the needs-based and efficient development of software or systems. It serves as a guideline for the structured elicitation, documentation, and control of requirements from diverse stakeholders.
Figure 1: Tasks in Requirements Engineering
“Requirements Engineering and software are not exclusively the domain of IT, which is often readily tasked with such matters. To genuinely advance, trained personnel are required to define and document functional requirements in collaboration with business departments. Regrettably, 'requirements documentation' is also frequently an unfamiliar concept.”
Tim Bossink, Senior Consultant, Business Process Automation
Is there a designated individual responsible for this?
Yes, there is a designated Requirements Engineer who oversees all project requirements by eliciting, documenting, reviewing, and managing them (cf. Figure 1). Naturally, they consistently endeavor to achieve consensus among stakeholders – a task that is not always straightforward, but absolutely essential.
So why professional Requirements Management?
Simply put: because it is an elemental component of sound project managementWhat is Project Management? Project management encompasses all – often standardized – tasks,… More and significantly contributes to conserving project time and budget – thereby enhancing quality and project success. This is because potential issues and client change requests can be addressed proactively.
Your Tailored Software?
We, the ISR Business Process Automation Team, have been dedicated for years to implementing customized, needs-based solutions for your business case. The systematic and professional application of requirements management techniques is one of our core competencies. Get to know us and our Requirements Engineering here!
Cihan Klingsporn
Senior Account & Marketing Manager
Business Process Automation
cihan.klingsporn@isr.de
+49(0)151 422 05 471
