Obtaining Information Necessary for Scope

In this things are always somewhat hazy at the starting of a software project.  A requirement has been describe and basic targets and objectives have been enunciated but the information necessary to describe scope (a prerequisite for estimation) has not yet been describe.

The most probably used technique to bridge the communication gap among the developer and customer and to get the communication process begin is to conduct a preliminary meeting or interview. The first meeting among a software engineer (the analyst)   and the customer can be likened to the awkwardness of a first date among two adolescents. Neither person knows what to say or ask both are worried which what they do say will be misinterpreted both are worried which what they do say will be misinterpreted  both  are  thinking  about  where  it  might  lead  both  likely  have  radically  different expectations here both want to get the thing over with but at the similar time both want it to be a success.

Since communication must be initiated. Weinberg and Gause suggest which the analyst begins through asking context free questions.  Which is group of questions which will lead to a basic understanding of the problem like the people who want a solution and the nature of the solution that is desired, the effectiveness of the first encounter itself.

The first group of context free questions focuses on the customer, the overall targets, and the advantages.   For example, the analyst might ask:

1.       Who is follower the request for this work?
2.       Who will use the solution?
3.       What will be the economic benefit of a successful solution?
4.       Is there another source for the solution?

The next group of questions enables the analyst to gain an excellent understanding of the problem and the customer to voice his or her perceptions about the solution.

1. How the customers characterize good output which would be generated through a successful solution?
2. What are the problems will this solution address?
3. Can you show me or define the environment in which the solution will be used?
4. Are there particular performance issues or constraints which will affect the way the solution is approached?

The final group of questions focuses on the effectiveness of the meeting.  Gause and Weinberg call there meta- questions and gives the following abbreviated list:

1.      Are you the right person to answer these questions? Are your answers "official"?
2.      Are my questions relevant to the problem which you have?
3.      Am I asking too many questions?
4.      Is there anyone else who can give additional information?
5.      Is there anything else that I should be asking you?

These questions (and others) will help to break the ice and initiate the communication which is essential to establish the scope of the project.  But an answer and question meeting format is not an approach which has been overwhelmingly successful. In fact, the Question & Answer session should be used for the first encounter only and then be replaced through a meeting format that combines elements of problem solving and negotiation specification.

There is a  number  of  independent investigators have  established a  team  oriented  approach to  needs gathering which  can be  applied  to  help  develop the  scope  of  a  project that is called facilitated application specification techniques also known as FAST this approach encourages the creation of a joint team of developers and customer who work  together to  identify the problem and propose elements of  the  solution, negotiate various approaches and specify a preliminary group of requirements.