One-page paper needs response method-five steps

The article comes from Scrum, the agile coach of Youpufeng, author Wang Hongliang Sledgehammer

Preface

One-page demand refers to the situation where the business side is very short when raising the demand. Sometimes in extreme cases, the original requirement is only one sentence or even a few words. For example: "Open four and limit four" is a requirement that covers a lot of requirements.

The one-page requirement confuses many BAs. BA also knows that one page of demand is not comprehensive, but it requires scientific analysis to complete the details. Otherwise, it will become a scattered supplementary demand content, and it is impossible to confirm whether the content supplemented by oneself is complete. From the perspective of the business side, the one-page requirement may be the most comprehensive content they can put forward. Due to a non-IT background, the business side may want to put forward more content and cannot do anything about it. Therefore, BA is required to assume the corresponding responsibilities and expand and improve one page.

Under normal circumstances, BA will sort out some questions through brainstorming, ask questions to the business side, and get answers. But the role of brainstorming is limited here. Even if you ask a lot of questions, you still don’t know if you have sorted out all the scenes that should be sorted out, and if there are still missing scenes. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the demand for a page in a structured and contextualized way. This can quickly and effectively establish the entire requirements document to advance the development work.

In response to the need for one page of paper, Sledgehammer has sorted out a five-step method, which has been widely used, and properly solved the problem of one page of paper. five-step method refers to demand analysis through business value, role combing, term definition, main business process combing, and detailed analysis of the outline.

When BA receives a demand for a page, it can follow the five-step demand analysis method:

Five-step diagram

first step should be to confirm the business value of the demand. The business value is used to determine the core function of the demand and confirm the priority of the demand . Future requirements must be analyzed around this business value, so as to be able to focus, and to know whether the designed function is necessary and whether it can help realize the corresponding business value. At the same time, it can be judged whether the corresponding business value realization method is scientific.

second step is to sort out the roles involved in the demand . In many cases, due to the lack of combing the roles, it is impossible to correctly understand how various roles complete their tasks in the business to achieve the goal of realizing business value. If some roles are omitted, it will lead to the consequence that the final business cannot run in a closed loop. In addition, the results of the requirements analysis may be incorrect due to the lack of role combing. For example, the functions of a certain role have been developed, but the corresponding function entry is missing.

third step defines the terms 161aedc4ab96d8. In some projects, professional vocabulary terms may be involved. Therefore, the definition of terms is clearly defined in the early stage, and the use of vocabulary habits can be unified when confirming the required functions with customers in the later stage. There will be no multiple meanings or multiple meanings. In addition, terminology definitions can provide unified terms for development engineers and test engineers, laying a foundation for improving communication efficiency in the development process. And because the term definition link can clarify the meaning of the term clearly, it also plays an indelible role in the subsequent demand analysis and understanding.

After finishing the first three steps, the main process should be sorted out . Generally speaking, a page of demand will contain a description of the necessary optimistic path. Usually it is not particularly difficult to describe the main flow. However, the shortcomings often lie in the pessimistic path, boundary conditions and other links. Therefore, the to sort out the details of the requirements through the outline and supplement . Gangjumezhang said that when fishermen were drying their fishing nets, the holes in the nets would naturally open after they were hung up. By extension, when writing an article, if the outline of the article is defined first, the content of the article will naturally be clear. Similarly, when analyzing requirements, if you can have a general context for the details of the combing method, you can clearly comb out various implicit requirements. fifth step of 161aedc4ab9709 can include: boundary thinking, symmetrical thinking, abnormal thinking, divergent thinking, related thinking, concurrent thinking and other thinking methods to sort out the details of various needs.

1. Business Value

1.1 What is business value

Solving problems that others are willing to spend money to solve is business value. It is usually a value proposition that can be obtained by the market, the enterprise, and the user, and it is defined in conjunction with the organization's strategic planning and the product/project life cycle.

1.2 Problems

1.2.1 Potential demand found

The original requirements provided by the stakeholders may contain insufficient information. If the BA is copied, there may be scene omissions. However, if the BA can consider the business value and analyze the requirements from the user's point of view, potential requirements will be discovered. Therefore, we need to clarify the organization's business goals and values, and subsequent analysis will focus on this goal.

1.2.2 Prioritize requirements

The ranking of requirements should first be based on business value, combined with market trends, product life cycle stages, the organization's current product/project portfolio strategy, and R&D investment costs. The business value can help us to better prioritize the needs.

1.3 How to realize business value

1.3.1 Establish business goals

In the process of demand analysis, BA will have many ideas and insights, but if they cannot be connected and promoted, they will be busy with delivery and do not know why. Generally speaking, business goals will be: making money and saving money. Making money is divided into direct profit (for example: promoting sales) and indirect profit (for example: increasing traffic, user stickiness, etc.).

1.3.2 Meet the core business

The core business must be satisfied first to ensure the delivery of value. However, the core business identification is a relatively difficult thing. There are also many ways to implement it. Later, I will write an article on how to identify the core business. For example, in the loan business, the repayment module can be divided into multiple scenarios: normal repayment, advance payment, overdue repayment, bad debt repayment, etc., and normal repayment is the core business.

1.3.3 Meet the correct priority division

The most common priority classification is based on urgent and important related words. The following figure is a common priority division method, but if you do not master a more specific method, you will fall into a situation where you don't know how to sort. We will describe in another article how to sort requirements reasonably and effectively. First understand the basic concepts here.

When using the four-quadrant method, we must also understand whether the core of the priority division is best demand priority or follow the business . Therefore, we also need to think about the following issues to judge the priority:

1) Don't do it-will it cause serious problems and bad effects?

2) Done-what will be the benefits and what will be achieved?

3) Is it related to core user interests?

4) Is it related to most user rights?

5) Is it related to efficiency or cost?

2. Role combing

2.1 What is role combing

Clearly define all roles involved in business and system activities.

2.2 Problems solved by role combing

Character combing can help us make up for gaps and reduce the problem of forgetting scenes. There are potential roles that may not use the system, but have a lot of control over the system. For example, the boss bought an attendance check-in system for HR. He does not check-in, but he has to pay attention to how to manage employees through the check-in system.

2.3 How to sort out roles

2.3.1 Perform role analysis

Which types of users does the system provide services? What are their different responsibilities, and define the system boundary based on this, that is, what range of content the system simulates in the real world, which affects the scope of design and implementation of requirements as well as Work.

2.3.2 Use the role function matrix to sort out

In demand analysis, we can use the role function matrix to sort out roles. The role-function matrix arranges roles and functions orthogonally, so as to sort out which functions that role can perform.

2.3.3 Use role permission matrix to sort out

Each role has its own permission matrix, which may be arranged in a tree-like directory. It indicates that the role corresponds to the detailed button-level function operation authority.

3. Definition of terms

3.1 What is the definition of terms

Define terms so that subsequent communication can be quick and unambiguous.

3.2 The problem solved by the definition of terms

When sorting out requirements, clarify the definition of system terms to facilitate later communication and function confirmation.

3.3 How to define terms

3.3.1 Unified language

The unified language provides a unified definition of terms for future communication. To define a unified language, it is best to provide the original name (local language) and the English name. The English name is for developers to unify the name in the source code. And its description is to make it clear what it is. If possible, attaching a picture will enhance comprehensibility.

Sometimes, a term may have different interpretations in multiple situations. Therefore, it may be necessary to establish a Wiki to be able to explain clearly. For example: risk hedging.

3.3.2 Making a term dictionary

Define all terms used in the project, including synonyms. The content here is a dictionary, write a concise definition for each name, including the meaning of all the names used in the requirements specification.

This dictionary should use standard names used by your organization or industry. These names should also reflect the terminology currently used in the field of work. The dictionary includes all the names used in the project. Please choose the name carefully to avoid conveying different, undesirable meanings.

4. Main business process combing

4.1 What is the main business process combing

To use closed-loop thinking, you need to think about problems from the user's perspective. Specifically, it refers to walking through various scenes from beginning to end as a user to confirm the integrity of the scene. There are two tools available here, one is the user journey and the other is the object journey.

4.2 Problems solved by combing the main business process

4.2.1 Avoid the omission of core scenes

Sorting out the main business process according to the user's perspective can avoid the omission of core business scenarios, as well as the omission of pages and interactions. For example, in the development of an e-commerce promotion activity module, the one-page requirement only describes how to promote, but forgets the description of the drainage function. If it is not analyzed, this module will be omitted, which leads to the entire e-commerce activity. fail.

4.2.2 Ensure the logic of the process

According to the user's perspective, the main business process is sorted out to ensure the integrity of the main business scenario and business.

4.3 How to sort out the main business process

4.3.1 Draw the main business flowchart

A flowchart can provide a quick view of how the business is operating. Therefore, by drawing the main business flowchart, you can quickly understand what the ultimate goal of the business is, which roles are participating, their responsibilities, and the connections between them. Generally speaking, a flowchart is an effective tool. In some scenarios, only a flowchart cannot clearly describe the requirements. You may need to select other suitable tools.

4.3.2 User Interview

Take the form of user interviews to sort out the main business process, and use interviews to determine whether business scenarios are missing. When conducting user interviews, pay attention to the identity of the user.

5. A detailed analysis of the

5.1 What is

Use boundary thinking, closed-loop thinking, symmetrical thinking, abnormal thinking, divergent thinking, associative thinking, concurrent thinking and other methods to sort out various details such as all process links, judgment conditions, and boundary scenarios.

5.2 The problem solved by the

Various detailed scenes can be smoothly sorted out through the method of Gangjumezhang. For those who already have a clear answer, you can directly provide the answer; for those with multiple options, you can provide options for the business representative to choose; for the case where there is no clear answer, you can leave it blank for the business representative to fill in. In this way, sorting out the details of various scenes in a more structured way can help establish a more complete demand system at one time and quickly promote development work. And in this process, it is easy to build confidence in the quality of requirements. Rather than asking questions like scattered points, BA does not know how many unconfirmed details of the requirements are.

5.3 How to analyze

6. Case

6.1 Case introduction

In order to be able to obtain better sales performance in the next sales season, we are planning to open online discounts. The activities are as follows:

New registered users will be given a 200 yuan coupon, valid until December 31, 2019.

Old users place an order during the event period and pay in cash (including Alipay, WeChat, and credit card; not pre-charged), and the amount is 500 minus 100. Each order is settled separately.

In addition, you will get 100 free if you recharge over 1,000. The top-up limit is 100,000 yuan.

[Assumptions]

An e-commerce system already exists, including shopping, ordering, payment, logistics and other functions;

This time only the part of the requirement change is considered;

Mobile terminal use.

6.2 Five-step analysis of requirements

1) Business value

business value refers to: Solving problems that others are willing to spend money to solve is business value. It is usually a value proposition that can be obtained by the market, the enterprise, and the user, and it is defined in conjunction with the organization's strategic planning and the product/project life cycle.

In this case, it is necessary to clarify the commercial value to be able to carry out the demand analysis around the commercial value, and all follow-up activities are carried out around the commercial value. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the commercial value:

• Register as a new user and become a consumer group in the coming year
• Consumption by old users, funds returned at the end of the year

2) Role analysis

role analysis refers to: what types of users the system provides services for, what different responsibilities do they undertake, and define the system boundary based on this, that is, what range of content the system simulates in the real world, which affects the demand The scope and workload of design and implementation.

When analyzing the requirements, it is necessary to clarify the roles involved in the requirements to avoid omissions. There are mainly 3 roles involved in this case:

• new user
• Old users
• administrator

3) Term definition

term definition refers to: the unified language provides a unified term definition for future communication. To define a unified language, it is best to provide the original name (local language) and the English name. The English name is for developers to unify the name in the source code. And its description is to make it clear what it is. If possible, attaching a picture will enhance comprehensibility.

Therefore, the terms need to be clearly defined. The terms that need to be confirmed in this case:

• DiscountWithGivenAmount: After the consumption reaches a certain amount, you can deduct a certain amount of payment as a full reduction activity.

4) Main process combing

main process combing refers to: using closed-loop and other thinking to walk through various scenarios from beginning to end as a user to confirm the integrity of the scenario.

In the process of combing the process, you need to pay attention to whether the process has omissions and whether the overall business logic is correct. Because we can use some ways of thinking to ensure the quality of demand analysis.

• Closed-loop thinking: The original requirements provided by the stakeholders may contain insufficient information. If the BA is copied, there may be scene omissions, but if the BA can consider the business value and analyze the requirements from the user's point of view, potential requirements will be discovered. Complete functions can still be made without closed-loop thinking, but these functions may be inaccessible due to lack of access.

In this case, closed-loop thinking can be used to confirm the nodes and exits of the entire activity process:

• Boundary thinking: Many things have their own boundaries, such as upper and lower limits, start date and end date. And the data type itself also has range restrictions, such as integer (Integer), long integer (Long) or double-precision floating-point number (Double). Undefined boundary requirements will have very large uncertainties in the implementation process. Everyone understands the best way to achieve them is different, and deviations from business requirements are often bugs. It is reported that HP's SSD hard drives will fail after a certain length of time, because the time exceeds the upper limit of Integer.

In this case, boundary thinking can be used to confirm the conditions of the activity and avoid malicious events:

• Relevant thinking: For example, when you log in, there is a password. Then you have to consider where the password comes from, whether it is assigned by the administrator or set by the user, or is it the default, or is temporarily obtained through mobile phone SMS notification. In this way, a more comprehensive scenario can be considered.

In this case, parallel thinking is used to analyze scenarios that are easy to miss, so as to fully cover the requirements.

Can coupons and vouchers be used together?

How are vouchers and recharges used for consumption? Can the vouchers be used separately?

Can the top-up amount be arbitrary?

The amount of gift and the order of consumption?

• Divergent thinking: Divergent thinking helps BA discover more potential scenarios. If there is a condition A, there may be conditions B and C. For example, gender is not only about men and women, some companies have defined more than 70 genders, and diversity must be taken into consideration. If the following content is entered in a natural number input box, will it be regarded as a valid number? ".0", "0.", "00", "01" or "2e5". Through divergent thinking, you can discover more possibilities to identify potential needs.

In this case, divergent thinking is used to explore more potential needs, such as making up orders.

• Symmetrical thinking: if there is registration, then there is cancellation; if there is payment, then there is a refund; if there is an order, then there is a return; if there is approval, then there is a rejection.

In this case, symmetrical thinking is used to further check whether there are omissions in the requirements analysis and whether the overall process logic is correct.

• Time axis: Use the time axis to define the time boundary of the event; it can also be used for other scope descriptions.

Use the timeline to replace a lot of text, and can better show the boundaries of time. In this case, the timeline is used to clarify the validity period such as coupons.

Confirm the validity period of the coupon:

The validity of points for confirming the order:

Orders made between July 1st and July 31st can get 2 times points.

Confirm the range of dual time:

Points for orders placed between July 1st and July 31st can be used from October 1st to December 31st

Confirm the collaboration of different roles:

The time period specified by the policy (for example, July 1st-July 31st) can accumulate points for purchases from our company that comply with the policy.

At the same time, you can also use the time axis to describe the symmetrical process:

Other-Object Modeling-Capital Pool:

According to object modeling, the stored value amount is distinguished, and the original stored value, new stored value, and new stored value gift are disassembled to form a fund pool, so as to better judge the source of funds and pool them together.

7. Summary

Through the detailed description and case analysis of the above one-page demand analysis, we have a deep understanding of the five-step method, and at the same time have a deep understanding of the practice of the five-step method.

In a one-page requirement analysis, we must not only consider the business value, role combing, term definition, main process combing, and the superficial meaning of the outline, but we must also correctly understand the tools used in each step, but also through practice. Learn.

about the author:

Author: Wang Hongliang/Sledgehammer

Founder of Visual Business Needs Analysis Toolbox, Chief Coach and Trainer of Upufeng Agile Consulting.

Well-known technology expert in the community, senior software development and agile consultant, lean entrepreneurship instructor. He put together a set of unique needs analysis toolbox. The tools of this toolbox are mainly characterized by visualization, which helps companies to present their requirements in the form of diagrams and tables in the process of demand analysis, improving the comprehensiveness of demand analysis and shortening the time required for demand analysis. It also saves time for developers and testers in the process of understanding requirements, reduces repeated confirmations, and improves overall development efficiency.