PM Network - February 2015

First Things First

Strong requirements management makes good sense—and business sense:
Find out more about requirements management in PMI’s Pulse of the Profession® In-Depth Report:
Requirements Management — A Core Competency for Project and Program Success at PMI.org/Pulse.
n When inadequate or poor communi-
cation is a primary cause of project fail-
ure, three out of four organizations
report that the issue negatively affects
requirements management more than
any other area of their projects.
n For every dollar spent on proj-
ects and programs, 5. 1 percent is
wasted due to poor requirements
management. This amounts to
US$51 million wasted for every
US$1 billion spent.
n Only 24 percent of
organizations report doing
well in recognizing and
developing skills needed
for effective management
of requirements.
5.1 24%

phase and in the form of detailed checklists and formal reviews during the execution phase. The requirements issues can be addressed through weekly issue logs and regular team meetings.

It is my experience that when you capture the stake-
holders’ requirements, analyze them and communicate
openly how they will be addressed, it generates tremen-
dous confidence and trust in the stakeholders and clients.”
—Nitin Dave, PMP, project manager, WorleyParsons,
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
CROWDSOURCE EXPECTATIONS
The key to successful requirements
management is identifying what the new
system or product will do for all appropri-
ate stakeholders.

You must understand each group’s perspective and gather the different requirements to build a complete picture of what the project should achieve. Ask each stakeholder or group of stakeholders for their requirements from the new product or service. What do they want and expect from this project?

If possible, push beyond questions: Build a mock-up or model of the system or product to give users an idea of what the final product will look like. With this, users can address feasibility issues and help identify any inconsistencies and problems.

Sometimes, use cases—a scenario-based technique—
—Harpreet Kalra, PMP, delivery manager-project
management, SunLife Financial, Gurgaon, India
SET LIMITS WHEN NEEDED
When dealing with complex projects
involving requests from many disparate
stakeholders, start by grouping requests
into categories or themes, and decide what share of
resources to allocate to each. Often, stakeholders want
more implemented right away than they really need,
and this method ensures that there is proper allocation
of resources across the board.

By setting a limit, it is possible to apply healthy pressure on the business side and define minimum viable features targeted for an initial release. After this, it is possible to gradually add more functionality if end customers respond positively.

Another important thing is to never accept solutions, only requirements. Some business stakeholders mix these up. The solution should be separated and brought to light by a creative process within the development organization.” —Mattias Hallberg, PMP, head of project management, Rakuten Inc., Tokyo, Japan

A 3-Step Solution

Stress is a natural defense mechanism to keep us alert to possible danger. It’s also subjective: During the same project, one team member may feel much more stress than another. Alan Patching and Rick Best’s 2014 study, “An investigation into psychological stress detection and management in organizations operating in project and construction management,” published in the journal Procedia— Social and Behavioral Sciences, suggests three steps for managing individuals’ stress levels: