5. What is a focus group?
• Semi-structured “group interview”.
• Focused discussion with moderator.
• 6 – 12 participants, 1 – 3 hours.
• Homogenous group.
• Socially-oriented.
6. What can a focus group do?
• Explore attitudes, opinions, behaviors, beliefs & recommendations of
a group.
• Define problems, gather reactions to proposed solutions, explore
feelings and reasons behind differences.
• Test messages, make packaging decisions, determine the right outlets
and public.
• For products or messages, gauge public reaction to positions, explore
opinions about company performance.
7. Advantages of focus groups
• Socially-oriented: useful in problem definition and message testing.
• Possible to probe positive or negative reactions.
• Relatively inexpensive, quick results.
• Flexible.
8. Disadvantages of focus groups
• Can be difficult to control.
• Questionable reliability.
• Difficult to recruitassemble.
• Should not be used:
• In confrontational situations.
• For statistical projections.
• Confidentiality cannot be assured.
9. “Analysis occurs only when the domain expert is in
Brad Kain, quoted in "UML Distilled"
the room (otherwise it is pseudo-analysis)”.
11. What is a functional decomposition?
• Breaking down a large problem into smaller functions or deliverables
(WBS).
• Sub-problems are independent.
• Work can be assigned to different groups.
12. What can a functional decomposition do?
• Identifies the high-level function then breaks those functions into
smaller pieces.
• A similar process can be carried out for the work involved in a project.
• Decomposition can also be performed to describe a product or
process.
13. Advantages of functional decomposition
• Creates a conceptual model of the work that needs to be completed.
• Provides all stakeholders with a consistent view of the scope.
• More readily understandable, subsets of the whole.
14. Disadvantages of functional decomposition
• No way to be certain that all components have been captured.
• Decomposition without understanding the relationship between
pieces may create an inappropriate structure.
16. What is an interface analysis?
• Interface is a connection between two components.
• Interface include:
• User interface.
• Interface tofrom external applicationshardware-devices.
17. What can an interface analysis do?
• Distinguishes which application provides specific functionality.
• Identifying what interfaces are necessary.
18. Advantages of interface analysis
• More accurate project planning and potential savings in time and
cost.
• Collaboration with other systems or projects.
• Specification of the interfaces should prevent difficulties in integrating
multiple components.
21. What is an interview?
• A type of qualitative research.
• Combination of observation and one-on-one interviewing.
• “Interviewing is a way to collect data as well as to gain knowledge
from individuals” – Kvale.
22. What can an interview do?
• Allows interviewers to question in real time.
• Gain insights about people.
24. Disadvantages of interviews
• Requires considerable commitment and involvement of the
participants.
• Training is required to conduct effective interviews.
27. What is a Lessons Learned Process?
• Historical data of a project that reflect the reasoning behind actions
chosen to correct variances.
• Recorded throughout the project lifecycle.
28. What can a Lessons Learned Process do?
• Identifies improvement opportunities.
• Initiate actionable next steps.
29. Advantages of Lessons Learned Process
• Useful for identifying opportunities for process improvement.
• Helps build team morale after a difficult period.
30. Disadvantages of Lessons Learned Process
• All participants must be prepared.
• Participants may be reluctant to document and discuss problems.
37. What is NFR analysis do?
• “Describe the non-behavioral aspects of a system, capturing the
properties and constraints under which a system must operate. “
Chung and Julio.
38. What can a NFR analysis do?
• Expressing critical ‘holistic’ requirements.
• Defines the overall qualities or attributes of the resulting system (e.g.
safety, security, usability, reliability).
39. Advantages of NFR analysis
• Success in meeting non-functional requirements will have a strong
influence on whether or not a system is accepted by its users.
40. Disadvantages of NFR analysis
• More difficult to define.
• May significantly impact the cost of developing a software
application.
41. “Walking on water and developing software from
Edward V. Berard
a specification are easy if both are frozen”.
43. What is an observation?
• Eliciting requirements by conducting an assessment of the
stakeholder’s work environment.
44. What can an observation do?
• Studying people performing their jobs.
• Understand the current processes to better assess the process
modifications.
45. Advantages of observation
• Provides realistic and practical insight into the business.
• Elicits details of informal communication.
48. What is an Organization Modeling?
• It consists of activities such as task allocation, coordination and
supervision.
• Activities are directed towards the achievement of organizational
aims.
49. What can an Organization Modeling do?
• Defines how an organization or organizational unit is structured.
• Define the scope of the organizational unit.
• Know your workers.
51. Disadvantages of Organization Modeling
• Organizational redesigns are likely to be highly contentious and
require significant executive support in order to be successful.
• Very "resource-intensive" in terms of both people and money.
53. What is a Problem Tracking?
• Organized approach to tracking, management, and resolution of
defects, issues, problems, and risks throughout business analysis
activities.
• Management of issues can be resolved in a timely manner.
54. What can a Problem Tracking do?
• Identification of root causes of problems.
• Management of issues can be resolved in a timely manner.
55. Advantages of Problem Tracking
• Provides an organized method for tracking and resolving risks.
• Helps to maintain focus on open problems until they are resolved.
56. Disadvantages of Problem Tracking
• Root cause analysis of the problems can take more time and
resources.
• If management of problems is not done, the list becomes outdated
and irrelevant.
57.
58.
59. Thanks to sources
• “On Non-Functional Requirements in Software Engineering” - Chung and Julio.
• A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide).
• Using interviews as research instruments - Annabel Bhamani Kajornboon.
• User Interview Techniques - The Art of the Question by Liz Danzico.
• www.slideshare.net/edanzico/user-interview-techniques
• Focus Groups by Kelli Matthews.
• www.slideshare.net/kmatthews/focus-groups-351521
