4.1.1 Purpose
The purpose of Prepare for Elicitation is to understand the scope of the elicitation activity, select appropriate techniques, and plan for (or procure) appropriate supporting materials and resources.
4.1.2 Description
Business analysts prepare for elicitation by defining the desired outcomes of the activity, considering the stakeholders involved and the goals of the initiative. This includes determining which work products will be produced using the elicitation results, deciding which techniques are best suited to produce those results, establishing the elicitation logistics, identifying any supporting materials needed, and understanding circumstances to foster collaboration during an elicitation activity.
4.1.3 Inputs
- Needs: guides the preparation in terms of the scope and purpose of elicitation activities. Elicitation can be used to discover the needs, but in order to get started there must be some need that exists – even if it has not yet been fully elicited or understood.
- Stakeholder Engagement Approach: understanding stakeholders’ communication and collaboration needs helps plan and prepare appropriate and effective elicitation events.
4.1.4 Elements
.1 Understand the Scope of Elicitation
To determine the type of business analysis information to be discovered during the elicitation activity and the techniques that may be used, business analysts consider:
- business domain,
- overall corporate culture and environment,
- stakeholder locations,
- stakeholders who are involved and their group dynamics,
- expected outputs the elicitation activities will feed,
- skills of the business analysis practitioner,
- other elicitation activities planned to complement this one,
- strategy or solution approach,
- scope of future solution, and
- possible sources of the business analysis information that might feed into the specific elicitation activity.
Understanding the scope of the elicitation activity allows business analysts to respond if the activity strays from the intended scope. It also allows them to recognize if people and materials are not available in time, and when the activity is complete.
.2 Select Elicitation Techniques
In most cases, multiple techniques are used during an elicitation activity. The techniques used depend on cost and time constraints, the types of business analysis information sources and their access, the culture of the organization, and the desired outcomes. The business analyst may also factor in the needs of the stakeholders, their availability, and their location (co-located or dispersed).
Choosing the right techniques and ensuring each technique is performed correctly is extremely important to the success of the elicitation activity. When selecting elicitation techniques, business analysts consider:
- techniques commonly used in similar initiatives,
- techniques specifically suited to the situation, and
- the tasks needed to prepare, execute, and complete each technique.
Due to changing dynamics and situations, the business analyst may be required to adjust the initial selections by incorporating more appropriate techniques. A thorough understanding of the variety of techniques available assists the business analyst in adapting to changing circumstances.
.3 Set Up Logistics
Logistics are planned prior to an elicitation activity. The logistics for each elicitation activity include identifying:
- the activity’s goals,
- participants and their roles,
- scheduled resources, including people, rooms, and tools,
- locations,
- communication channels,
- techniques, and
- languages used by stakeholders (oral and written).
The logistics may also involve creating an agenda if other stakeholders are involved.
.4 Secure Supporting Material
Business analysts identify sources of information that are needed to conduct the elicitation activity. There might be a great deal of information needed to conduct elicitation including people, systems, historical data, materials and documents.
Documents could include existing system documents, relevant business rules, organizational polices, regulations, and contracts. Supporting materials might also take the form of outputs of analysis work, such as draft versions of analysis models (see Specify and Model Requirements (p. 136)). Business analysts procure or develop the materials and tools needed. Additional planning for experimental elicitation might be required if novel tools, equipment, or techniques are going to be used.
.5 Prepare Stakeholders
Business analysts may need to educate stakeholders on how an elicitation technique works or what information is needed. It may be helpful to explain an elicitation technique to stakeholders not involved in the activity to help them understand the validity and relevance of the information elicited. Stakeholders may be unresponsive or challenging during an elicitation activity if they feel that it is not aligned to their individual objectives, don’t understand the purpose, or are confused about the process. In preparing for elicitation, the business analyst should ensure that there is buy-in from all necessary stakeholders.
Business analysts may also prepare stakeholders by requesting that they review supporting materials prior to the elicitation activity in order to make it as effective as possible. An agenda might be provided in advance to support stakeholders in coming prepared to the activity with the necessary frame of mind and information.
Eliciting through research or exploration may be a solo activity for the business analyst and not require preparing other stakeholders.
4.1.5 Guidelines and Tools
- Business Analysis Approach: sets the general strategy to be used to guide the business analysis work. This includes the general methodology, types of stakeholders and how they should be involved, list of stakeholders, timing of the work, expected format and level of detail of elicitation results, and identified challenges and uncertainties.
- Business Objectives: describe the desired direction needed to achieve the future state. They can be used to plan and prepare elicitation events, and to develop supporting materials.
- Existing Business Analysis Information: may provide a better understanding of the goals of the elicitation activity, and aid in preparing for elicitation.
- Potential Value: describes the value to be realized by implementing the proposed future state, and can be used to shape elicitation events.
4.1.6 Techniques
- Brainstorming: used to collaboratively identify and reach consensus about which sources of business analysis information should be consulted and which elicitation techniques might be most effective.
- Data Mining: used to identify information or patterns that require further investigation.
- Document Analysis: used to identify and assess candidate sources of supporting materials.
- Estimation: used to estimate the time and effort required for the elicitation and the associated cost.
- Interviews: used to identify concerns about the planned elicitation and can be used to seek authority to proceed with specific options.
- Mind Mapping: used to collaboratively identify and reach consensus about which sources of business analysis information should be consulted and which elicitation techniques might be most effective.
- Risk Analysis and Management: used to identify, assess, and manage conditions or situations that could disrupt the elicitation, or affect the quality and validity of the elicitation results. The plans for the elicitation should be adjusted to avoid, transfer, or mitigate the most serious risks.
- Stakeholder List, Map, or Personas: used to determine who should be consulted while preparing for the elicitation, who should participate in the event, and the appropriate roles for each stakeholder.
4.1.7 Stakeholders
- Domain Subject Matter Expert: provides supporting materials as well as guidance about which other sources of business analysis information to consult. May also help to arrange research, experiments, and facilitated elicitation.
- Project Manager: ensures that the appropriate people and resources are available to conduct the elicitation.
- Sponsor: has the authority to approve or deny a planned elicitation event, and to authorize and require the participation of specific stakeholders.
4.1.8 Outputs
- Elicitation Activity Plan: used for each elicitation activity. It includes logistics, scope of the elicitation activity, selected techniques, and supporting materials.
