Identifying the right people to provide requirements

Having the right resources to identify requirements gets your project off to a great start.  Here are 4 steps that can help:

• Identity the right stakeholder groups. Identify the various stakeholder groups that will be impacted by the new product or solution. Which ones are right? The ones that will be impacted by the new solution or product. These can include internal departments and external entities such as vendors, customers and consumers. Don’t forget groups such as IT support, Legal, Procurement, Finance, Safety, Security, and Compliance.
• Acquire the right domain expertise. Ensure all representatives have appropriate domain knowledge for the stakeholder group they represent. If not, push back to get ones who do. Ideally, getting at least two representatives from each domain helps you obtain broader perspectives.
• Confirm resource availability. The best resources are rarely idle. Negotiate with the appropriate manager to obtain the right resources by explaining the value of requirements identification.  Design the requirements identification process to maximize the value obtained from these critical resources in the least about of time.
• Attitude matters. The right attitude is essential. Work with your designated representatives to get them excited about participating in the requirements process. Emphasize how they can influence business outcomes for the area they represent.

With the right people are engaged in the requirements identification process, you can greatly increase your chances of achieving the desired business outcomes.

For more info on requirements, check out this LinkedIn Learning course