THE DARK ARTS OF BUSINESS ANALYSIS:

DRUPAL DOWNUNDER MELBOURNE 2012

JASON BROOKS - @MUDSURFER – LAB4 WEB DESIGN

REQUIREMENTS GATHERING

WITH MIND MAPS

FOR A DRUPAL PROJECT

INTRO• Jason Brooks • @mudsurfer (twitter and drupal.org)

– Projects, Business Analysis - Full Time– Web Site Building with Drupal – Part

Time (3yrs)Lab4.com.au

20+ years experience of users screwing up

perfectly good projects

One of the key reasons projects fail:

Clients think they did not get what

they wanted

Don’t ask them “What do you

want?”…Ask them “Why do you want it?” and

listen.

MindMapping is one way of capturing what you hear:

Flexible – to suit the clientAccessible – easy to discuss

and modifyTraceable - source of ideas

(the why)

[System Requirements]Any Constraints:• Time• Budget• Quality• Existing site/hosting

[User Requirements:]What do you want visitors/users to do?

Your Website

[Business Requirements:]Why Do you want it?

[System Requirements]Any Constraints:• Time• Budget• Quality• Existing site/hosting

[User Requirements:]What do you want visitors/users to do?

Your Website

[Business Requirements:]Why Do you want it?

“We send each other too many emails”

Reduce Email Volume

[System Requirements]Any Constraints:• Time• Budget• Quality• Existing site/hosting

[User Requirements:]What do you want visitors/users to do?

Your Website

[Business Requirements:]Why Do you want it?

“We waste time in committee arguing over different versions of documents”

Reduce Email Volume

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

[System Requirements]Any Constraints:• Time• Budget• Quality• Existing site/hosting

[User Requirements:]What do you want visitors/users to do?

Your Website

[Business Requirements:]Why Do you want it?

“We want a calendar of events”

Reduce Email Volume

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

Event Calendar

[System Requirements]Any Constraints:• Time• Budget• Quality• Existing site/hosting

[User Requirements:]What do you want visitors/users to do?

Your Website

[Business Requirements:]Why Do you want it?

“The Boss wants to make announcements “

Reduce Email Volume

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

Event Calendar

Blog

[System Requirements]Any Constraints:• Time• Budget• Quality• Existing site/hosting

[User Requirements:]What do you want visitors/users to do?

Your Website

[Business Requirements:]Why Do you want it?

“… and he wants staff to make comments“

Reduce Email Volume

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

Event Calendar

Blog Comments

[System Requirements]Any Constraints:• Time• Budget• Quality• Existing site/hosting

[User Requirements:]What do you want visitors/users to do?

Your Website

[Business Requirements:]Why Do you want it?

“We need to have new website by next AGM in July”

Reduce Email Volume

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

Event Calendar

Target Go Live < July

Blog Comments

[System Requirements]Any Constraints:• Time• Budget• Quality• Existing site/hosting

[User Requirements:]What do you want visitors/users to do?

Your Website

[Business Requirements:]Why Do you want it?

“…But committee wants to approve in June”

Reduce Email Volume

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

Event Calendar

Target Go Live < JulyTarget Go Live < JulyFinal Draft

Site > June

Blog Comments

A Real Example is more comprehensive:

Take it away, clean it up.

Give client time to think.

Then present it back to them and review

At this stageIt is their work.

They own it.

Only then, Use your»Experience,»Research,»Gut Instincts….

And transform their requirements into

your project framework.

[System Requirements]Any Constraints:• Time• Budget• Quality• Existing site/hosting

[User Requirements:]What do you want visitors/users to do?

Your Website

[Business Requirements:]Why Do you want it?

Reduce Email Volume

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

Event Calendar

Target Go Live < JulyFinal Draft

Site > June

Blog CommentsYour Website

Reduce Email Volume

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

Event Calendar

Target Go Live < JulyFinal Draft

Site > June

Blog CommentsYour Website

ContentTypes

Reports

Forms

UserRoles

Post Implementation Review

Reduce Email Volume

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

Event Calendar

Target Go Live < JulyFinal Draft

Site > June

Blog CommentsYour Website

ContentTypes

Reports

Forms

UserRoles

Post Implementation Review

Blog Comments

Event

Calendar

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Reduce Email Volume

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

Target Go Live < JulyFinal Draft

Site > June

Your Website

ContentTypes

Reports

Forms

UserRoles

Post Implementation Review

Blog Comments

Event

Calendar

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Reduce Email Volume

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

Your Website

ContentTypes

Reports

Forms

UserRoles

Post Implementation Review

Blog Comments

Event

Calendar

Improve Meeting Efficiency

Reduce Email Volume

Version Controlled Doc. Mgt.

Core: Article

Comments : On

Custom Node Type

Custom Fields

Date Module

Views Module

… Etc.

In effect a Prince 2Product

Break Down Structure

Extend:• Use to capture taxonomy

structure:

Extend:• Use to Add estimates for each

component, and use as basis of quote

Extend:• Add alternative modules to

research

Use through the Project Lifecycle:• Use as a checklist of

completed tasks• Use as the basis of tests.

Wrapping Up:Flexible – to suit the client

Accessible – easy to discuss and modify

Traceable - source of ideas (the why)

Wrapping Up• Useful Links:

– Slides will be published on the session page

– Business Requirements: BABoK by IIBA• http://www.iiba.org

– Lists and Reviews of MindMapping apps:• http://www.mind-mapping.org/VicsPicks

• Session Feedback:– Questions?– Drupal Downunder session page– http://drupaldownunder.org/session/dark-arts-business-analysis-requirements-gathering-mind-maps-drupal-project

Thanks!