Elizabeth Larson, CBAP, PMP, CSM

CEO, Watermark Learning @e_larson

info@WatermarkLearning.com Elizabeth Larson
1
Enhanced Performance. Enduring Results.
 Describe the essential models to use during
requirements analysis
Learn how models work together and
complement each other
Learn how to leverage modeling for more
effective elicitation and complete
requirements




Modeling
requirements
is extremely
useful in
elicitation

Modeling is
hard at
first

Could get
real messy
quickly

...especially if we
get distracted by
using the one
and only correct
notation

Isnt modeling just a
collection of text,
diagrams and
matrices?

 Represent current or
future realities
Communicate abstract
concept
to different audiences

 Break into small
groups
Introduce yourselves
Discuss barriers (2-3)
Common themes?

With all these barriers,
why should we model
requirements?!

 Model Ask

Confirm Listen

Synthesize

 So, how you which
models to ?
Contact Location Contact
# contact id (FK) # contact id
# location id (FK) customer number
(FK)
last name
first name
middle initial
o title
phone
o email address
Location ...

# location id
address
city
Order
state/province Customer
country # order number
postal code # customer number customer number
... o company name (FK)
o date of incorp date of order
o number of house- time of order
hold members order status
credit limit ...
date added
...

Order Item
Shipment
Order Fulfillment # order number (FK)
# shipment number
# product id (FK)
actual ship date # order number (FK) # location nbr (FK)
actual ship time # product id (FK) o invoice nbr (FK)
location nbr (FK) # location nbr (FK) selling price
ship mode # shipment nbr (FK) projected ship date
shipper tracking nbr quantity shipped quantity ordered
...
...

 Process Data

K
D N
Scope
O O
W

User
Interaction Interface
U S E

Discussion: Which are your
favorite models?

 Simon says
My goal is to review these models and
show--
Everybody do the wave!
How they relate to each other
How to get started by asking 3-5
questions

 Process

Process models depict how to get the job done

Models include:
What is a process?

SIPOCs
Process Maps/Flowcharts
Workflow diagrams
Activity diagrams
Data flow diagrams
State diagrams

 Process Model Example Process

Sample Questions
1. What are initial inputs and final
outputs?
2. Who produces inputs and gets
outputs?
3. Which steps are done and in what
sequence? What happens most
commonly?
4. What are the alternates and
exceptions?
5. How many, how often, and when
(what triggers the process)?

 Simon says
Everybody find something out about your
neighbor in this room
their name, their title, their company, and how
long they have worked there

 Data

Data models show the data and the rules of the

business how they are used
Models include:
Entity relationship diagrams
Class diagrams
Data dictionaries

Logical models not physical data models or

physical database design

 Data
Minimums and maximums
Each customer can place any
number of orders, but each order
Entity/Relationship has to be placed by a single
customer
Diagram (ERD)
Contact Location Contact
# contact id (FK) # contact id
# location id (FK) customer number
(FK)
last name
first name
middle initial
o title

Business
phone
o email address

Default to United Location ...

Rules
States?
# location id
address
city
Order
state/province Customer
country # order number
postal code # customer number customer number
... o company name (FK)

What are the allowed values? Sample Questions

o date of incorp date of order
o number of house- time of order
hold members

1. What business information do you care about?

order status
credit limit ...
date added

2. What are the facts about that information?

...

3. Can you leave the screen without filling in the

Shipment information? What Order areItemthe defaults (if any) and
# allowed
order number values?
Order Fulfillment # order number (FK)
# shipment number
# product id (FK)
actual ship date (FK) # location nbr (FK)
actual ship time
4. # Is thenbrrelationship
# product id (FK)
between two pieces of business
o invoice nbr (FK)
Facts
location nbr (FK) location (FK) selling price

information required?
quantityCanorderedyou set up one piece of
ship mode # shipment nbr (FK) projected ship date
shipper tracking nbr quantity shipped
...
business information without setting up the other?
...

5. What are the min/max for each relationship?

 Describes data in business terms
Items to include:
Name
Description Entity
Information
Name Customer Type of Entity * F

Definition A customer may be a person or a

Alias company, and is anyone who has
asked for information or has placed
an order.

Values/meanings Current Volume

Expected Growth
Rate

Derived data
Attribute Name Key Definition Domain Information Opti
Information onal
customer number PK unique identifier Arbitrary number
company name Character: any
parent cust FK Integer Y
number
date of Character: any
incorporation
date added Small Integer
credit limit Small Integer
* Entity types: F = Fundamental (occurs as a business object), T = Subtype, A = Associative, R = Role, S = Structure

Example Data Dictionary Entry

Simon says

Everybody greet
your neighbor

 Interaction

Interaction models show how actors

interact with a system
Use case diagrams/narratives
Prototypes (Interface)
How process interacts with data
State diagrams
CRUD matrix

 System Interaction

Actor
Actor Order Processing System

Inventory
System
Request items
Specialist

Reserve items in
inventory

Check credit

Sample Questions: Accounting

Customer
1. What is the work this project is Invoice
customer
doing?
2. Which stakeholders are User
involved? Interface
3. How do stakeholders want to Ship
product
use the system?
4. How do other systems
Operations
interface
Credit with the system?
Authorization
5. How big is our system?
Use

Case
 Interaction

Number and Name: UC 100 Reserve Item in Inventory

Actor(s): CSR, Customer

1 Pre-condition: Actor is logged on; system is available;

line item page is displayed
4 Alternate Flow A1: Item number entered is

2
not valid
Post-conditions: Item Reserved message is displayed 1. System displays item number

3 Actor Action System Response not found message

1. Enter item 2. Perform check digit 2. System launches a search on item
description
number verification 3. System displays all close matches
3. Send item number 4. Actor selects item
to IMS 5. . . .
4. IMS sends item 5. Display item 6. Return to primary flow step 3
description to OP description
6. Display reserve
request message
5 Exception Flow E1: Actor cancels transaction
(any point)
7. Confirm 8. Send reservation 1. Actor indicates wish to cancel transaction
Exception
2. System displays item transaction cancelled
reservation request to the
confirmation question
request Inventory system Flow
3. System requests IMS to back out reserved item
9. IMS sends Item 10. Display Item 4. System displays item cancelled message
Reserved message Reserved Message 5. Exit use case
to OP

 Sample Questions
1. What are the different stages of each entity?
2. What is the life cycle, of each entity? How do
entities get created, changed, and deleted?
Interaction
(Process)
3. What event triggers changing from one state
to another? (Process)
Event

State

Candidate hire/ Begin date/ Retirement/

Accepts job Begins work Retires
New Hire Employee Retired
Terminates
Rejects offer
Transition
(process) Former
Emp

Non Hire

Everybody look at your cell
phone or smart phone.

 Interface

Interface models graphically depict how

people interact with
Models include:
Prototypes, mockups/wireframes

 Interface

Sample Questions
Input and DisplayLogin
We thought it Datawas successful
1. Where does UI beginshould
and end?be
You may now perform the
intuitively
How do we know when were
done?
obvious! following activities:
2. Process-screen navigation: What View Line Items
are the most common, alternative, Reserve Line Items Go
Nope. Users
exception paths? Calculate Shipping want a Go
3. Data - look and feel of the screen: button
how should the data be arranged?
4. Data: what edits are needed to
Process
prevent errors?
5. When exceptions occur, what
message is displayed? (data) What
action does the user take?
(process)

 Simon says

Everybody stand up!

Guess how many people are in the room.

Guess how many people are outside the

room.

 Scope

Scope models depict the boundaries of the

solution to be implemented
Models include:
Goals, objectives, lists, rules
User stories/features list
Use case diagrams
Context diagrams
Functional decomposition diagram (expanded)

 Iterative Elicitation & Modeling

Business Data
Process Modeling
Modeling

Process Models Scope Data Models:

Entity-Relationship Diagram, and/or
Business Process Model/Map, Activity Diagram,
Swim Lane Diagram Class Diagram
Modeling Questions:
Questions:
What is the order/sequence? Which functions and What area the min/max for each
activities are done? How many, how often, and when? relationship? Is it required? What are the
Who produces inputs and gets outputs?, Where does defaults? What business info matters and the
process begin and end? related facts?

Sample Questions
What are the goals of solution? User
Use Case What are the boundaries of our solution? Interface
What are the components of the solution?
Modeling Which stakeholders are impacted? Modeling
What other systems interface?
(UI)
Use Case Models:
Use Case Model: Diagram and Narrative, Activity User Interface Models
Diagram, Sequence Diagram Prototype, Mockup, Wireframe,
Storyboard
Questions:
When to begin? When is done done? What are the most Questions:
common path, alternatives, exceptions? What happens What messages appear with exceptions? What
when exceptions occur? edits are needed to prevent errors? Where does
UI begin and end?

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Enhanced Performance. Enduring Results.

Iterative Modeling Throughout Life Cycle

Discover/Scope Define Detail Develop

Management
Solution

Business Need, Product Backlog, Epic Trace User Stories, Story

Detailed Business Trace to
Solution Scope, User Stories, Requirements Maps Trace requirements
Rules, Groomed Design and
Product Vision, Release Plan, Establish Baseline High-level Manage changes
Traceability Structure User Stories Testing
Requirements Report actuals Requirements/ Report actuals
& Attributes Detailed Models Measure results
Management Plan Models
Modeling

Functional
Business
Process

Value Chain/
Context Decomposition, Detailed Process Code
Cross-Functional SIPOCs
Diagrams Swim Lane Maps Design
Models
Diagrams
Modeling
Use Case

Use Case Activity Sequence Code

Use Case Narratives
Diagrams Diagrams Diagrams Design
Modeling

Entity-Relationship Entity-Relationship Entity-Relationship

Data

Diagrams Diagrams Diagrams Database

(no Attributes) (w/ Attributes) (Normalized) Design
Modeling
Interface

Written/ High-Level
Detailed User Interface
User

High-Level Prototypes/
Views Mock-ups Prototypes Design

 Process Interaction Data Interface
Scope
System
Interface Views
Realtor Property User
Realtor
A
B
Property
Seller Buyer
Actor1 C
Offers Counters
Actor2
Closing

Define
Property
Use Case A # Property id
(property address)
legal property id
Pri Flow ------------------- legal property desc

-------------- ...

--------------- Buyer/Seller
Alt Flow 1 ----------- Realtor
# user number
--------------- # realtor id
(office address)
(user name)
(mailing address)
office phone nbr
Excp Flow 1 -------- realtor license nbr
...
home phone nbr
date added
...

Detail
C
Use Case A
[Amt out of range]
[Account number B Pri Flow ------------------------ Realtor Property
# Property id
User
# user number
Log in to CTC
Get account number Validate account
valid]
Perform reasonability
check on the A
-------------------- # realtor id
(office address)
office phone nbr
(property address)
legal property id
(user name)
(mailing address)
and deposit amount number
deposit amount [Amt in range] --------------------- realtor license nbr
...
legal property desc
...
home phone nbr
date added Enter User ID and Password Below
[Account number ------------------ password reminder
question
not valid]
Alt Flow 1 --------------- User Realtor
password reminder
answer User ID Login
...
Display account
number not found
Search on customer Display all close Receive selected --------------------- # user id
# realtor id
Password
message
name matches customer name
--------------- Seller Buyer
Forgot userid/password (link)
# user number # user number

Alt Flow 2 ---------------- (user name)

(mailing address)
price range
desired

A
Add deposit amount
to current account
Update teller
Notify teller of
successful
Excp Flow 1 ------------ home phone nbr
date added

New user (link)
balance
transaction file
completion ---------------- ...

[Cancel selected]
Excp Flow 2 ---------------
Display amount not in
Prompt teller to
B reasonable range Cancel Transaction
reenter or cancel
message
[Re-enter selected]

1. Overdoing a model
2. Letting an electronic modeling tool drive the
What modeling
analysis
3.challenges
Being overlyhave
concerned with modeling
correctness
you facedduring a facilitated workshop
4. Being intimated by those who are more
concerned about the physical design

1. Choose the models that make sense
2. Remember
3. Translate models into business language
4. Use models to elicit
5. Collaborate

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