1 SYS366 Week 4, Lecture 2 Requirements Part 4: Constraints, The Problem Statement

2 Today Constraints The Problem Statement

3 Constraints: The Grim Reality Developers are not given all the time in the world, all the money in the world, and all the best resources that money can buy so that they can build the best system ever built!

4 More Reasons to Involve Stakeholders and Users “…you must understand the economic, technological, political, and business environment into which the system will be introduced and how that environment will be changed by the new system.” * * Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 15.

5 Constraints “are restrictions on the degree of freedom the developers have in providing a solution….” * come directly from the economic, technological, political, and business environment into which the system will be introduced * Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 16.

6 Stakeholders & Users are the ones who can tell you the economic, technological, political, and business environment into which the system will be introduced and how that environment will be changed by the new system.

7 Constraints “Constraints are not related to the fulfilling the stakeholders’ needs; they are restrictions imposed on the project by external forces.” Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 77.

8 Constraints Include Business and Economic: Cost and pricing, availability, marketing and licensing issues Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 77.

9 Constraints Include Environmental: External standards and regulations that are imposed on the development project Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 78.

10 Constraints Include Technical: The technologies that the project is forced to adopt or the processes that the project has to follow Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 78.

11 Constraints Include System: Compatibility with existing systems and operating environments Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 78.

12 Constraints Include Schedule and Resources: Dates the project has been committed to or limitations on the resources that the project must use Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 78.

13 Why Stakeholders Impose Constraints Politics Constraints my be placed on the project by the relationships among the stakeholders rather than the technical or business forces shaping the project Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 78.

14 Why Stakeholders Impose Constraints Organizational Policies may be in place that constrain the way that the product can be developed. A company may have made a policy decision to move toward specific techniques, methodologies, standards, or languages Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 78.

15 Why Stakeholders Impose Constraints Strategic Directions may be in place that constrain the way that the project is to use specific technologies and suppliers (such as the decision by the Dealer Principal to outsource all IT to your company) Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 78.

16 Why Stakeholders Impose Constraints Organizational Culture may itself constrain the project by limiting the way that the project must address the project must address the problem. (There is a limit to the amount of change that people can cope with at any one time.) Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 78.

17 Constraints Constraints = Reality Checks!

18 Project Initiation Document PRJ566 Summer 2003 Team 2 Team 10

19 Today Constraints The Problem Statement

20 The Problem Statement “A problem can be defined as the difference between things as perceived and things as desired OR as a question or matter to be worked out” * *Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 69.

21 The Problem Statement “If you want to satisfy [Stakeholders’] real needs, you must understand the problem that they are trying to solve.” * *Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 69.

22 The Problem Statement “The best way to capture the problem is to construct a problem statement.” * *Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 69.

23 The Problem Statement “is a solution-neutral summary of the stakeholders’ shared understanding of the problem to be solved.” * *Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 69.

24 The Problem Statement “Often, the stakeholders have different perspectives on the problem…, but it is important that they reach agreement on a shared problem” * Use Case Modeling by Bittner and Spence, page. 71.

25 The Problem Statement The Problem Statement TemplateTemplate

26 The Problem Statement Let’s fill in that Problem Statement Template for Building Maintenance.

27 The Problem Statement Now it’s totally over to you as you write the problem statement for your business area!