What are some of the suggestions for improving the requirements process?

1 . Develop and follow a requirements management process that includes procedures for initial requirements determination.

2 . Employ techniques such as prototyping, use case modeling, and Joint Application Design to understand user requirements thoroughly. Prototyping involves developing a working replica of the system or some aspect of the system. These working replicas may be throwaways or an incremental component of the deliverable system. Prototyping is an effective tool for gaining an understanding of requirements, determining the feasibility of requirements, and resolving user interface uncertainties. Use case modeling is a process for identifying and modeling business events, who initiated them, and how the system should respond to them. It is an effective tool for understanding requirements for information systems. Joint Application Design (JAD) uses highly organized and intensive workshops to bring together project stakeholdersthe sponsor, users, business analysts, programmers, and so onto jointly define and design information systems. These techniques also help users become more active in defining system requirements.

3 . Put all requirements in writing and keep them current and readily available. Several tools are available to automate this function. For example, a type of software called a requirements management tool aids in capturing and maintaining requirements information, provides immediate access to the information, and assists in establishing necessary relationships between requirements and information created by other tools.

4 . Create a requirements management database for documenting and controlling requirements. Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools or other technologies can assist in maintaining a repository for project data. A CASE tool's database can also be used to document and control requirements.

5 . Provide adequate testing to verify that the project's products perform as expected. Conduct testing throughout the project life cycle.

6 . Use a process for reviewing requested requirements changes from a systems perspective.

7 . Emphasize completion dates.

8 . Allocate resources specifically for handling change requests.