I work on a lot of requirements gathering projects, which would be focused on uncovering all requirements, extracting context and also inputting into the discussion around implementation – to ensure that the method is in-line with best practice and scalable.

More Information

I’d generally start this process with a discovery call or meeting, with a view to ensure that we’re a good fit for each other and that there’s a need for me to be involved. Once we’ve done this, we’d then go into detail on where we’re needed and start planning the workshop sessions. The first workshop would be focused on more business-focused areas and then we’d progress onto the more functional-focused sessions, where we’d focus on uncovering the requirements for the project and assigning them to different phases, which would also require discussion. Once we’ve completed these sessions, we’d then start building the functional / project specification document, which would then be used to either get quotes from prospective suppliers or internally as the project plan.

Key Focal Areas

  • Initial Project Discovery (objectives around the project, project risks, key systems, key stakeholders, timescales etc)
  • Front-end / design discovery (discussions around the front-end / design aspects of the project – looking at both the functional side and the UX)
  • Functional workshop sessions (discovery around new features, existing functionality that needs to be replicated, integrations, data migration etc) – there would be a lot of discussion around the approach in these sessions also – for example how the data is set up, back-end workflows for custom functionality, which third parties are used etc.
  • Creation of project specification (with features / requirements mapped against phases, using the MOSCOW methodology)
  • Optional involvement in RfPs / future phases

More Information on the process

I’s generally want to run a lot of the phases of the project via face to face meetings, however, we’ve done them remotely with retailers in the past. In most cases, it’d just be me running the project, however, in some instances, I’d bring in an additional consultant if there are very complex integrations that need to be mapped out.

The time allocated to these projects varies massively – varying based on the level of input needed, the preferred route for working together and the size and complexity of the project.