requirements-gathering

What this skill does

# Requirements Gathering

## Overview

This skill guides you through systematic requirements gathering and documentation for software projects, from initial stakeholder analysis to detailed specifications and acceptance criteria.

## Requirements Gathering Workflow

## 1. Planning & Stakeholder Analysis

**Identify Stakeholders:**

- Map stakeholder categories: executives, users, developers, operations
- Assess influence, interest, and availability
- Plan engagement strategy for each stakeholder group

**Select Elicitation Techniques:**

- **Interviews**: One-on-one discussions for deep insights (see [elicitation-techniques.md](references/elicitation-techniques.md))
- **Workshops**: Collaborative sessions for alignment
- **Document Analysis**: Review existing systems and documentation
- **Observation**: Job shadowing to understand workflows
- **Surveys**: Gather input from large user groups
- **Prototyping**: Validate requirements with mockups

### 2. Requirements Elicitation

**Conduct Stakeholder Sessions:**

- Prepare structured interview questions
- Focus on current pain points and desired outcomes
- Document business context, goals, and constraints
- Capture exact quotes for later reference
- Follow up with clarifications as needed

**Key Questions to Ask:**

- What problems are you trying to solve?
- What does success look like?
- Who will use this system and how?
- What are your constraints (budget, timeline, technical)?
- What are must-have vs nice-to-have features?

### 3. Requirements Analysis & Documentation

**Document Requirements:**

Choose format based on project methodology:

**For Agile Projects** - Use user stories (see [agile-requirements.md](references/agile-requirements.md)):

```
As a [role]
I want [capability]
So that [business value]

Acceptance Criteria:
- Given [context]
- When [action]
- Then [outcome]
```

**For Traditional Projects** - Use structured specifications:

- Business Requirements Document (BRD): High-level business needs
- Functional Requirements: What system must do
- Non-Functional Requirements: Performance, security, usability
- Use Cases: Detailed user-system interactions

**Classify Requirements:**

- Functional vs Non-Functional
- Business vs Technical vs User
- Must-Have vs Should-Have vs Could-Have vs Won't-Have (MoSCoW)

### 4. Requirements Prioritization

**Apply Prioritization Framework** (see [prioritization-frameworks.md](references/prioritization-frameworks.md)):

- **MoSCoW**: Must/Should/Could/Won't have (good for stakeholder alignment)
- **Value vs Effort**: Plot on 2×2 matrix (quick wins vs long-term investments)
- **RICE**: Reach × Impact × Confidence / Effort (data-driven scoring)
- **Kano Model**: Basic/Performance/Delight features (user satisfaction focus)

### 5. Validation & Refinement

**Review Requirements Quality:**

- [ ] **Clear**: Unambiguous, easy to understand
- [ ] **Complete**: All necessary information included
- [ ] **Consistent**: No contradictions
- [ ] **Testable**: Can verify when implemented
- [ ] **Feasible**: Technically and economically viable
- [ ] **Traceable**: Linked to business goals

**Get Stakeholder Sign-Off:**

- Review with each stakeholder group
- Address conflicts and gaps
- Document approvals and changes
- Maintain requirements traceability matrix

## Key Deliverables

**Depending on project needs, produce:**

- **Stakeholder Analysis**: Categories, needs, engagement plan
- **Interview Summaries**: Key findings and quotes
- **User Stories/Use Cases**: Detailed functionality descriptions
- **Requirements Document**: BRD, SRS, or PRD
- **Requirements Traceability Matrix**: Links requirements to business goals, design, tests
- **Product Roadmap**: Prioritized feature timeline

## Reference Files

Load these on demand based on specific needs:

### Process Guidance

- **[elicitation-techniques.md](references/elicitation-techniques.md)** - Detailed interview techniques, workshop facilitation, and observation methods
- **[agile-requirements.md](references/agile-requirements.md)** - User story writing, backlog management, sprint planning, and acceptance criteria
- **[prioritization-frameworks.md](references/prioritization-frameworks.md)** - MoSCoW, RICE, Kano, Value/Effort frameworks with examples
- **[requirements-gathering-process.md](references/requirements-gathering-process.md)** - End-to-end process from initiation to sign-off
- **[best-practices.md](references/best-practices.md)** - Quality standards, common pitfalls, and validation checklists

### Documentation Templates

- **[requirements-traceability-matrix.md](references/requirements-traceability-matrix.md)** - Template and examples for tracking requirements
- **[use-case-overview.md](references/use-case-overview.md)** - Use case structure and examples

## Best Practices Summary

**Avoid Common Pitfalls:**

- ❌ Solution-focused: "Use React framework" → ✅ "Provide responsive web interface"
- ❌ Vague language: "System should be fast" → ✅ "System responds within 2 seconds for 95% of requests"
- ❌ Gold plating: Focus on business value, not nice-to-haves
- ❌ Assuming knowledge: Document all assumptions and define terms
- ❌ Skipping validation: Always review and get stakeholder sign-off

**Requirements Quality:**
Every requirement must be clear, complete, consistent, testable, feasible, necessary, prioritized, and traceable.