Hi guys, welcome to the next post in the Requirement Elicitation series! In the previous post, we talked about how to ask questions, prepare questions, and so on. In this post, we'll move on to the next step: using those prepared questions in a meeting to gather requirements from clients.
First off, I want to clarify one thing: there are many ways to elicit requirements, such as workshops, interviews, brainstorming, Q&A sessions, surveys, etc. You can learn more about how to apply these methods here. In this post, I'll focus on a common method: interviews, often referred to as "Meeting."
Preparing for the meeting:
You need to contact stakeholders beforehand (including clients and project team members, if any) to arrange the meeting time and location.
Then, send out a meeting request email (MR) to inform everyone about the meeting's purpose and content. The email can include information like: objectives, project name, agenda, time, and location. It's helpful to have a standardized email subject line and template for all meetings. For example, the email subject could be: "[Meeting Request][Project Name][Meeting Purpose]."
During the meeting:
Use the set of questions you prepared beforehand and ask them one by one according to the agenda. Try creating a sample agenda template to familiarize yourself with what needs to be done during the meeting.
Take notes on the opinions and answers from stakeholders.
Steer the meeting and avoid discussing unrelated topics. Mediate any disagreements that arise during the meeting.
Summarize the main points at the end of the meeting, along with any pending tasks and assign them to the responsible individuals (next action & PIC - person in charge).
Handling Issues During the Meeting:
When conducting a meeting, BAs often encounter issues that need to be addressed, such as:
Silence, especially during initial meetings: In this case, the BA needs to break the ice to create a comfortable atmosphere:
If everyone knows each other, start with some small talk like "How's your work going lately?" If you're really stuck, you can always resort to "The weather has been lovely/rainy/hot lately, hasn't it?"
If people are unfamiliar with each other, you can begin by introducing the attendees. Remember everyone's names, at least all the clients.
Lack of focus or participation: You can set some ground rules for the meeting and agree on how to work together. For example, no side conversations, one person speaks at a time, etc.
Dominating participants or those who prefer to work independently, or those who talk too much: My advice is to be firm. Even if you're a new BA, you need to demonstrate professionalism and seriousness. You need to be assertive to have your voice heard.
Ending the Meeting:
At the end of the meeting, you need to summarize the content by:
Reviewing the meeting agenda.
Summarizing the main points that were agreed upon.
Listing any unresolved issues, points to be discussed in the next meeting, etc.
Outlining the next actions for each party.
After the Meeting:
The BA needs to compile and present the meeting information in the form of meeting minutes and send them to everyone with deadlines for the tasks.
Along with email, remind stakeholders through other communication channels like chat, word of mouth, or phone calls to confirm the content of the meeting minutes.
I hope these tips help you conduct successful meetings!
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