Requests vs. requirements

Requests

RequirementsVs.

Donato Mangialardo

Have you ever heard of...

“The customer said that the feature does not resolve his problem.

“But we did what he asked for!”

Sort Alerts

I want to sort alerts by sender. I need to sort by attributes. Sender must be the first column.

How is it possible you cannot sort alerts?

Request example

Sort Alerts



Why do you need to sort alerts?

Filter Alerts

Tina gets many alerts but she only needs to know about the ones requiring action on her part so that she does not miss important ones by browsing among hundreds of them.

Sort Alerts



See the difference?

Filter Alerts


Request

Requirement

Customer is telling us the solution

All solutions make sense per se

We need to understand the problem that the customer needs to solve

Solution vs. problem

Customers often have a narrow perspective

The latest pain in a specific scenario

We need to elicit the root cause of the problem.

Solution vs. problem

Ask 5 times WHY▪ Why it is important for you ?▪ Why you want this and not that?▪ What happens if not we do it this other way?▪ What is the worst thing that can happen if not

implemented?▪ Why user X complains? Is it this or maybe that?

The root cause. How do we get it?

Then:

You will recognize when you have got the root cause

And the customer will too!

So, Tina gets upset because she gets so many alerts that she misses the ones she should act upon immediately?

Yes! That’s it!

The customer is not using the feature!

- Feature works only in one of the many scenarios

- Feature does not address the problem end-to-end

- The customer demanded a feature that they didn't really need

Features built w/o the problem in mind

Describe a user persona that needs to resolve a

problem so that she gets a benefit

As a <Persona>I want to <Intent> so that <Valuable>

The formula

As a <Persona>I want to <Intent> so that <Valuable>

The formula

Filter Alerts


WHO WHAT BENEFIT

Persona Want to accomplish

Why important?

Value provided

Are easier to:

- Prioritize- Agree upon- Compare/group with others (patterns, use cases)- Design for- Providing better and faster estimates

The formula provides requirements that

A1 B1 C1 D1 E1 F1 G1 H1 L1 K1 R1 S1 P1 T1 W1 Z1 A1 B1 C1 D1 E1 A1




























Requests - fact: there are many





























Hey! It’s FERRARI asking for it! They

are not stupid! Just do it!

We have to do it or we’ll lose the

customer

No feature, no deal. I cannot sell without it

This is easy. I will implement it.

Which ones do we take to the product?

A1 B1 C1 D1 E1 F1 G1 H1 L1 K1 R1 S1 P1 T1 W1 Z1 A1 B1 C1 D1 E1 A1A2 B2 C2 D2 E2 F2 G2 H2 L2 K2 R2 S2 P2 T2 W2 Z2 A2 B2 C2 D2 E2 A2A3 B3 C3 D3 E3 F3 G3 H3 L3 K3 R3 S3 P3 T3 W3 Z3 A3 B3 C3 D3 E3 A3A4 B4 C4 D4 E4 F4 G4 H4 L4 K4 R4 S4 P4 T4 W4 Z4 A4 B4 C4 D4 E4 A4A5 B5 C5 D5 E5 F5 G5 H5 L5 K5 R5 S5 P5 T5 W5 Z5 A5 B5 C5 D5 E5 A5A6 B6 C6 D6 E6 F6 G6 H6 L6 K6 R6 S6 P6 T6 W6 Z6 A6 B6 C6 D6 E6 A6A7 B7 C7 D7 E7 F7 G7 H7 L7 K7 R7 S7 P7 T7 W7 Z7 A7 B7 C7 D7 E7 A7A8 B8 C8 D8 E8 F8 G8 H8 L8 K8 R8 S8 P8 T8 W8 Z8 A8 B8 C8 D8 E8 A8A9 B9 C9 D9 E9 F9 G9 H9 L9 K9 R9 S9 P9 T9 W9 Z9 A9 B9 C9 D9 E9 A9A10 B10 C10 D10 E10 F10 G10 H10 L10 K10 R10 S10 P10 T10 W10 Z10 A10 B10 C10 D10 E10 A10A11 B11 C11 D11 E11 F11 G11 H11 L11 K11 R11 S11 P11 T11 W11 Z11 A11 B11 C11 D11 E11 A11A12 B12 C12 D12 E12 F12 G12 H12 L12 K12 R12 S12 P12 T12 W12 Z12 A12 B12 C12 D12 E12 A12A13 B13 C13 D13 E13 F13 G13 H13 L13 K13 R13 S13 P13 T13 W13 Z13 A13 B13 C13 D13 E13 A13A14 B14 C14 D14 E14 F14 G14 H14 L14 K14 R14 S14 P14 T14 W14 Z14 A14 B14 C14 D14 E14 A14A15 B15 C15 D15 E15 F15 G15 H15 L15 K15 R15 S15 P15 T15 W15 Z15 A15 B15 C15 D15 E15 A15A16 B16 C16 D16 E16 F16 G16 H16 L16 K16 R16 S16 P16 T16 W16 Z16 A16 B16 C16 D16 E16 A16A17 B17 C17 D17 E17 F17 G17 H17 L17 K17 R17 S17 P17 T17 W17 Z17 A17 B17 C17 D17 E17 A17A18 B18 C18 D18 E18 F18 G18 H18 L18 K18 R18 S18 P18 T18 W18 Z18 A18 B18 C18 D18 E18 A18A19 B19 C19 D19 E19 F19 G19 H19 L19 K19 R19 S19 P19 T19 W19 Z19 A19 B19 C19 D19 E19 A19A20 B20 C20 D20 E20 F20 G20 H20 L20 K20 R20 S20 P20 T20 W20 Z20 A20 B20 C20 D20 E20 A20A21 B21 C21 D21 E21 F21 G21 H21 L21 K21 R21 S21 P21 T21 W21 Z21 A21 B21 C21 D21 E21 A21A22 B22 C22 D22 E22 F22 G22 H22 L22 K22 R22 S22 P22 T22 W22 Z22 A22 B22 C22 D22 E22 A22A23 B23 C23 D23 E23 F23 G23 H23 L23 K23 R23 S23 P23 T23 W23 Z23 A23 B23 C23 D23 E23 A23A24 B24 C24 D24 E24 F24 G24 H24 L24 K24 R24 S24 P24 T24 W24 Z24 A24 B24 C24 D24 E24 A24A25 B25 C25 D25 E25 F25 G25 H25 L25 K25 R25 S25 P25 T25 W25 Z25 A25 B25 C25 D25 E25 A25A26 B26 C26 D26 E26 F26 G26 H26 L26 K26 R26 S26 P26 T26 W26 Z26 A26 B26 C26 D26 E26 A26A27 B27 C27 D27 E27 F27 G27 H27 L27 K27 R27 S27 P27 T27 W27 Z27 A27 B27 C27 D27 E27 A27A28 B28 C28 D28 E28 F28 G28 H28 L28 K28 R28 S28 P28 T28 W28 Z28 A28 B28 C28 D28 E28 A28

13 requests from 3 top customers13 features - often inconsistent with each other3 happier customers (IF requests prioritized, captured, designed and build right)Hardly a better product (usually the contrary)

Which ones?

A1 B1 C1 D1 E1 F1 G1 H1 L1 K1 R1 S1 P1 T1 W1 Z1 A1 B1 C1 D1 E1 A1A2 B2 C2 D2 E2 F2 G2 H2 L2 K2 R2 S2 P2 T2 W2 Z2 A2 B2 C2 D2 E2 A2A3 B3 C3 D3 E3 F3 G3 H3 L3 K3 R3 S3 P3 T3 W3 Z3 A3 B3 C3 D3 E3 A3A4 B4 C4 D4 E4 F4 G4 H4 L4 K4 R4 S4 P4 T4 W4 Z4 A4 B4 C4 D4 E4 A4A5 B5 C5 D5 E5 F5 G5 H5 L5 K5 R5 S5 P5 T5 W5 Z5 A5 B5 C5 D5 E5 A5A6 B6 C6 D6 E6 F6 G6 H6 L6 K6 R6 S6 P6 T6 W6 Z6 A6 B6 C6 D6 E6 A6A7 B7 C7 D7 E7 F7 G7 H7 L7 K7 R7 S7 P7 T7 W7 Z7 A7 B7 C7 D7 E7 A7A8 B8 C8 D8 E8 F8 G8 H8 L8 K8 R8 S8 P8 T8 W8 Z8 A8 B8 C8 D8 E8 A8A9 B9 C9 D9 E9 F9 G9 H9 L9 K9 R9 S9 P9 T9 W9 Z9 A9 B9 C9 D9 E9 A9A10 B10 C10 D10 E10 F10 G10 H10 L10 K10 R10 S10 P10 T10 W10 Z10 A10 B10 C10 D10 E10 A10A11 B11 C11 D11 E11 F11 G11 H11 L11 K11 R11 S11 P11 T11 W11 Z11 A11 B11 C11 D11 E11 A11A12 B12 C12 D12 E12 F12 G12 H12 L12 K12 R12 S12 P12 T12 W12 Z12 A12 B12 C12 D12 E12 A12A13 B13 C13 D13 E13 F13 G13 H13 L13 K13 R13 S13 P13 T13 W13 Z13 A13 B13 C13 D13 E13 A13A14 B14 C14 D14 E14 F14 G14 H14 L14 K14 R14 S14 P14 T14 W14 Z14 A14 B14 C14 D14 E14 A14A15 B15 C15 D15 E15 F15 G15 H15 L15 K15 R15 S15 P15 T15 W15 Z15 A15 B15 C15 D15 E15 A15A16 B16 C16 D16 E16 F16 G16 H16 L16 K16 R16 S16 P16 T16 W16 Z16 A16 B16 C16 D16 E16 A16A17 B17 C17 D17 E17 F17 G17 H17 L17 K17 R17 S17 P17 T17 W17 Z17 A17 B17 C17 D17 E17 A17A18 B18 C18 D18 E18 F18 G18 H18 L18 K18 R18 S18 P18 T18 W18 Z18 A18 B18 C18 D18 E18 A18A19 B19 C19 D19 E19 F19 G19 H19 L19 K19 R19 S19 P19 T19 W19 Z19 A19 B19 C19 D19 E19 A19A20 B20 C20 D20 E20 F20 G20 H20 L20 K20 R20 S20 P20 T20 W20 Z20 A20 B20 C20 D20 E20 A20A21 B21 C21 D21 E21 F21 G21 H21 L21 K21 R21 S21 P21 T21 W21 Z21 A21 B21 C21 D21 E21 A21A22 B22 C22 D22 E22 F22 G22 H22 L22 K22 R22 S22 P22 T22 W22 Z22 A22 B22 C22 D22 E22 A22A23 B23 C23 D23 E23 F23 G23 H23 L23 K23 R23 S23 P23 T23 W23 Z23 A23 B23 C23 D23 E23 A23A24 B24 C24 D24 E24 F24 G24 H24 L24 K24 R24 S24 P24 T24 W24 Z24 A24 B24 C24 D24 E24 A24A25 B25 C25 D25 E25 F25 G25 H25 L25 K25 R25 S25 P25 T25 W25 Z25 A25 B25 C25 D25 E25 A25A26 B26 C26 D26 E26 F26 G26 H26 L26 K26 R26 S26 P26 T26 W26 Z26 A26 B26 C26 D26 E26 A26A27 B27 C27 D27 E27 F27 G27 H27 L27 K27 R27 S27 P27 T27 W27 Z27 A27 B27 C27 D27 E27 A27A28 B28 C28 D28 E28 F28 G28 H28 L28 K28 R28 S28 P28 T28 W28 Z28 A28 B28 C28 D28 E28 A28

The ones that relate to pervasive, critical problems!

Build a backlog of problems to solve, not features

Problems!

Problem1 Problem2 Problem3

" We have found that stressing the current value of the product and having short

release cycles, we can present the prospect with a roadmap that they are

comfortable with without disrupting our development cycles.“

Parker Harris, SVP Products, Salesforce.com

But customers ruthlessly ask for features!

Recap

- Separate want from need- Look for the problem- Look for the root cause (5x Why)- Group by problems (not wants)- Use the formula

Date post:	21-Jan-2018
Category:	Software
Upload:	donato-mangialardo
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Requests vs. requirements

Software