For BAs, asking questions is an everyday task. Questions aren't just for gathering information from clients; they are also the primary and essential tool for BA analysis. In my BA classes, I always emphasize various analytical techniques (CRUD/IO Flow), and the core of these techniques lies in asking questions effectively and accurately.
In today's post, we'll delve deeper into how to ask questions and prepare for client interviews.
Step 1. Preparing Questions:
Initial client interaction: Questions should focus on gathering general information, such as the current state, the main workflow/process needing to be addressed, and specific business characteristics (even within the same domain, not all companies have identical business processes, so avoid making assumptions about the client's operations).
When you already have information/have interacted with the client:
Group questions by business module or functionality, and schedule interviews with the corresponding departments/users.
Focus on exploring specific business processes and the daily tasks of the staff who directly handle those processes.
Preparation is similar to the initial interaction but more specific and detailed for each department/business process.
For example, after the initial meeting to discuss designing an ERP product, you'll have a general understanding of the overall flow or workflows within the ERP software. But in subsequent meetings, you'll delve into the overview/details of corresponding modules like sales, purchasing, inventory, etc.
When preparing questions, it's better to have a framework rather than a detailed list of questions. Detailed preparation can help you avoid awkwardness during the meeting, but excessive detail can lead to wasted preparation time. Moreover, detailed questions often involve assumptions, like "if the answer to question 1 is A, then..." This happens when BAs lack information and have to make assumptions to ask questions. If the client rejects your assumed answer, then the subsequent related questions become unusable.
The level of detail in your questions for interviews will depend on the number of interactions, the BA's understanding of the client or business processes, and the meeting's objectives. Typically, interview questions progress from general to specific and FOLLOW THE MEETING'S OBJECTIVE. This means the first meeting is as general as possible (like gathering business requirements), the second meeting might still be general but goes deeper, and the third meeting will focus on a specific flow/module. The questions become increasingly detailed as the number of meetings increases.
Step 2. During the Interview:
Stick to the agenda or the prepared question framework.
Thoroughly explore the client's answers using analytical skills, primarily the 5W1H framework.
There are two types of interview questions: open-ended and closed-ended:
Open-ended questions: Used for gathering information. Example: "How is process A carried out? How many steps are involved?..."
Closed-ended questions: Used when the BA already has a solution/information about the issue and wants to limit the client's choices or suggest options. Example: "Do you want a website, a mobile app, or both?"
When asking questions, be clear about which object you're asking about to avoid confusing the client. And thoroughly explore information related to that object before moving on to another. For example, if you're asking about sales orders and encounter return orders, don't jump straight to return orders while still discussing sales orders. Make a note of the return order (new object) and continue with the sales order (current object) until you're finished with it.
Listening: This is neither difficult nor easy. Anyone can hear, right? Not necessarily. To listen effectively, remember these points:
Focus on listening.
Don't interrupt the client.
Don't judge immediately.
Finally, remember to confirm all the information. This is a crucial step in every meeting and an essential part of the BA's requirement process.
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