Course 1860 – Foundations

of Project Management
Module 5: Project Requirements

1
 Course Plan

Module Titles
Module 1 – Project Management Overview
Module 2 – Project Initiation
Module 3 – Project Management Approaches
Module 4 – Tailoring Projects
Current Focus: Module 5 – Project Requirements
Module 6 – Create the Project Schedule
Module 7 – Project Cost and Resources
Module 8 – Communication and Stakeholders
Module 9 – Risk and Procurement
Module 10 – Reporting and Metrics
Module 11 – Quality and Closing
Module 12 – Project Management Trends

2
 Learning Outcomes for this Module

• By the end of this module, you will:

– Understand the various methods for collecting requirements
– Construct a Work Breakdown Structure
– Construct a Product Backlog
– Prepare User Stories

3
 Topics for this Module
• 5.1 Project Requirements
• 5.2 Work Breakdown Structure
• 5.3 Product Backlog
• 5.4 User Stories
• 5.5 Review and Next Module

4
Module 4 – Review
• 4.1 The Tailoring Process
• 4.2 Tailor for the Organization
• 4.3 Tailor for the Project
• 4.4 Continuous Improvement

5
 Readings

• An Introduction to Project Management, 7th Edition, by

Kathy Schwalbe
– Chapter 4:
• Planning Projects: Part One, Pages 130-157

6
 “All things are created twice; first
mentally then physically. The key to
creativity is to begin with the end in
mind, with a vision and a blueprint
of the desired result.”

-- Stephen Covey

Source: https://toggl.com/blog/50-project-management-quotes
7
 Module 5 - Section 1

Project Requirements

8
 Scope Process
IC-1.2

Scope Work
Collect Scope
manage- breakdown
requirements statement
ment plan structure

9
 Plan Scope Management

• Project scope management

includes the processes involved in
defining and controlling what is or is
not included in the project
• The customer, project team and all
relevant stakeholders must have
the same understanding of:
– What are the project’s product(s);
and
– What processes will be used in
producing them
• Scope refers to all work involved in
creating these products
What does
AI suggest?
10
 Product versus Project Scope
IC-2.1
Remember
Module 2
• Product scope
– The features and functions that Project Title Virtual Conference Date: May 15 Version: 2.1

characterize a product, service, or Project Manager

Scope Description
Janet Symthe, [email protected]
The Virtual Conference project will set up live streaming on the PMExpo sessions that can be
viewed by members or paid attendees from the website or app.

result Business Need

Streaming the PMExpo will allow members and others interested in attending to view the
conference without traveling. The streaming of the conference will allow PDA-PM to reach more
people and create interest in projects.

– The product life cycle extends past the Milestones

Project Start: June 1
Technology selected: July
Demo completed: September
PMExpo Stream: October
Budget
Software: $20,000
Labour: $170,000
Equipment: $10,000
Total: $200,000

life of the project Project Success Criteria

Approval requirements
The project must be completed on time, within budget and high quality
The project is signed off by the Program Manager of PMExpo

• Project scope
Development Approach Will use a critical path method
The project will issue Assumptions: Constraints Risks
status reports every • Speakers will • The streaming can • There is not
Management Approach second week and hold accept streaming not interfere with enough bandwidth

– The work that needs to be performed to

monthly steering • Contractors are the attendees' • Attendees will not
committee meetings available experiences object
• PMExpo Program Manager • Venue staff • Membership Manager
Stakeholders
• Marketing Manager • IT Manager • Event Manager

deliver a product, service, or result with Approval ____________________________

PMExpo Program Manager
_______________
Date

the specified features and functions

Product requirements: Project requirements:

Includes information on product Includes information on
technical requirements, business requirements, project
security requirements, management requirements,
performance requirements, etc. delivery requirements, etc.

11
What are Requirements?
• In the planning stage, the scope of the project and the
product, are defined in more details than those
included within the Project Charter
• Collecting requirements builds upon the major
deliverables, assumptions, and constraints that were
documented during project initiation
• These requirements are crucial to the project’s
success because with them, they help improve the
accuracy of time, cost and resource estimates

12
 Tools for Collecting Requirements (1)
What does
• Brainstorming AI suggest?
– Generating and collecting multiple ideas
• Interviews
– Talking directly to the stakeholders; one-on-one
– Interviewing experienced project participants and subject matter
experts (SMEs)
• Focus groups
– Using a trained moderator to guide a group of pre-qualified
stakeholders and subject matter experts
• Questionnaires and surveys
– Utilizing written sets of questions designed to quickly accumulate
information from a large number of respondents
• Benchmarking
– Finding comparable projects from relevant organizations
– Identifying best practices, measurements

13
Tools for Collecting Requirements (2)
• Affinity diagrams
– Large numbers of ideas classified into groups for review and
analysis
• Mind mapping
– Ideas created through brainstorming sessions into a single map;
reflecting commonality and differences
• Context diagram
– Visual depiction of the product scope by showing a business
system (i.e., process, equipment, computer system)
• Prototypes
– Smaller scale products, 2D and 3D models, mock-ups, or
simulations
– Storyboarding a sequence or navigation through a series of images

14
Tools for Collecting Requirements (3)
• Observation/conversation
– Viewing individuals in their environment, job shadowing
• Facilitation
– Holding workshops
– Helps in defining cross-functional requirements
• Data analysis
– Alternative analysis; reviewing relevant documentation (including
agreements, business plans, user cases)
• Decision making
– Voting
• Unanimity: everyone agrees on single course of action
• Majority: more than 50%
• Plurality: largest block of group decides
• Autocratic: one individual makes the decision
• Multi-criteria decision analysis
– Utilizing a matrix to provide a symmetric and analytical approach for
establishing criteria, evaluation and ranking

15
 Requirements Tools – Virtual Conference
IC-2.2
Requirements Activity Requirements Tool
Meet with the event team, sponsorship team and Interviews
marketing team
Conduct a virtual meeting with an advisory group Focus group
of global members
Brainstorm on potential requirements with the Brainstorming
virtual conference team
Send out an online survey with questions about Questionnaires
attending a virtual session to all membership
Research and review information on processes Benchmarking
and standards for virtual conferences

16
Requirement Categories
• Business requirements
– Higher-level needs of the organization, business issues or
opportunities and why a project should be undertaken
• Stakeholder requirements
– Their needs and rationale
• Quality requirements
– Condition/criteria to validate successful completion (i.e., tests)
• Solution requirements
– Functional: actions, processes, data or interaction
– Non-functional: conditions to be effective; reliability, service
• Transition and readiness requirements
– Temporary capabilities; transition from current to future state

17
 Requirements Management Plan

• Describes how requirements will be analyzed, documented

and managed through the project
• Includes:
– How requirements will be gathered, tracked and reported
– The prioritization process for the requirement
– Metrics that will be used and the rationale for using them
– A traceability structure that reflects requirement attributes
captured on a requirements traceability matrix
– Configuration management procedures; indicating how
project artifacts will be monitored, controlled and changed

What does
AI suggest?

18
 Requirement Traceability Matrix
IC-1.3

• A matrix or a grid that links product requirements to the project

deliverables that satisfy them
• Helps ensure that each of the requirement adds value to the business
or project objectives
• Provides a means to track requirements throughout the project life
cycle
• Provides a structure for managing change

Requirement Requirements Category Source Status WBS ID

Number Name
An identifier A short Requirement Origin of Open, in Reference
for easy description of gathering requirement process, to WBS for
future the method (people or closed traceability
reference requirement document)

Adapted from An Introduction to Project Management, Seventh Edition, Schwalbe. Page 133
19
 Requirements Traceability Matrix – Virtual
Conference

Req. Requirements Name Category Source Status WBS ID

Number
01 Provide live streaming of the Survey Steering Open
PMExpo speaker sessions Committee
for members
02 Support recordings of Online Program Open
PMExpo speaker sessions Questionnaire Team
for members

Adapted from An Introduction to Project Management, Seventh Edition, Schwalbe. Page 133
20
 Scope Management Plan

• Includes the process to prepare a detailed scope statement

• Enables the creation of the WBS
• Identifies how the scope baseline will be approved and
maintained
• Documents the process for obtaining formal acceptance of
completed deliverables
• Project plan components that can be helpful, but are not
limited to include:
− Project life cycle description
− Development approach
What does
− Quality management plan AI suggest?

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Project Scope Statement
• Describes in detail, the project’s deliverables and work
required to create those deliverables
Scope Statement, Version 1.0 Date: ______

Project Title: ________________________

Product characteristics and requirements:

• Elaborate on the characteristics of the project or service as described in the Project
Charter

User acceptance criteria:

• Defines the process and criteria for accepting the completed product or services

Project exclusions:
• Details what is in or out of scope

Deliverables:
• Product deliverables
• Project deliverables

Adapted from An Introduction to Project Management, Seventh Edition, Schwalbe. Page 135
22
 Project Requirements – Questions
IC-3.1
IC-3.2
1. Juan is having trouble collecting the requirements from the user
for a new application. The user cannot describe the
requirements in a language the project team understands. What
technique should Juan try to use?
a. Decomposition
b. Alternative analysis
c. Prototyping
d. Facilitation
2. A requirements _________________ is a table that lists
requirements, various attributes of each requirement, and the
status of the requirements to ensure that all of them are
addressed.
a. traceability matrix
b. management plan
c. management matrix
d. tracking pool
Answers available via
Interactive Content on Quercus 23
 Module 5 - Section 2

Work Breakdown Structure

24
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is deliverable-
oriented decomposition of the scope of the project and the
work to be performed to achieve the project’s stated
objectives
• It is a foundation document providing the basis for
planning and managing project schedules, costs, and
changes
• Decomposing major project deliverables into smaller, more
manageable components results in:
– Improving the accuracy of cost, time and resource estimates
– Defining a baseline for performance measurement and control
– Facilitates clear responsibility of assignments

25
Creating a WBS
• The WBS is used for:
– Providing a comprehensive view of all the work to be executed to
complete the project
– Developing network diagrams and schedules
– Identifying resources
– Preparing activity-responsibility matrices
– Formulating costs and budgets
– Identifying and aiding in risk analysis
– Coordination of objectives
– Measuring work performance and control measures
• The WBS can be displayed graphically or in a tabular view

26
WBS Formats

Graphical View Tabular View

Project

1. 3.
2. Design 4. Testing
Requirements Construction

1.1 Activity A 2.1 Activity A 3.1 Activity A 4.1 Activity A

1.2 Activity B 2.2 Activity B 3.2 Activity B 4.2 Activity B

1.3 Activity C 2.3 Activity C 3.3 Activity C 4.3 Activity C

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WBS Formats
0
Project

1 1.0 Phase 2.0 Phase 3.0 Phase

One Two Three

2 2.1 2.2
Deliverable A Deliverable B

3 2.1.1 Sub- 2.1.2 Sub- 2.2.1 Work

deliverable deliverable package

4 2.1.1.1 Work 2.1.2.1 Work 2.2.2 Work

package package package

2.1.1.2 Work 2.1.2.2 Work

package package
WBS Levels

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 Techniques for WBS Development
What does
AI suggest?
• Analogous
– Based on best practices and repurposed from other similar
projects.
• Top-down
– Starts with the key subprojects and decomposes work down to the
lower levels.
• Bottom-up
– Starts with many detailed tasks, then rolled up into groups to form
the activities and sub-projects.
• Mind Mapping
– Creative method. Starts with a core idea, then branches out from
this core idea with thoughts and ideas.

29
WBS Guidelines
• Must reflect the nature of work to be performed
– Organized by what work needs to be done, not how it is done
– The team is involved in identifying, estimating time and resources
– Suppliers and subcontractors can provide a WBS for their own
area or sub-project
• Ensure there is a work package for every required
deliverable
– Each WBS item must be documented to ensure an accurate
understanding of the scope of work included and not included
– The work content within a WBS item is the sum of the WBS items
below it
– Work packages in a completed WBS can be rearranged and still be
valid
– Must be flexible to accommodate inevitable changes in the project

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WBS Dictionary
• Includes a description of the WBS deliverables in more
detail
• Uses the numbers included within the WBS for easy
reference
• Includes any attribute, characteristic or quality that defines
the deliverable
• May also include who owns the work package, and
information about estimated costs and scheduling

31
WBS Development – Level 1
• Organizationally Oriented
– Some organizations and industries provide guidelines for preparing
WBSs.
• Phase-based
– Based on project phases such as feasibility, development,
implementation, testing, etc. Useful in IT projects.
• Functionally Oriented
– Organized by existing and relevant line functions needed to
complete the work.
• Geographically Oriented
– Work organized by the location the work will be performed in.

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 WBS: Organizational Approach

Office Building

1.0 Site 2.0 Building 3.0 Mechanical 4.0 Electrical 5.0 Data 6.0 Project
Development Systems Systems Systems Communications Management

5.1 Telephone and 6.1 Client

1.1 Fencing 1.2 Site preparation 1.3 Landscaping 2.1 Foundations 3.1 Elevators 4.1 Fire alarms 4.2 Lighting
PA communications

2.2 Stairs/ 4.2.1 Interior 4.2.2 Exterior 4.2.3 Garage 6.2 Reporting/
1.3.1 Site 3.2 HVAC 5.2 Data networks
structures lighting lighting lighting documentation

2.3 Roofing 4.2.1.1 Hallway 5.3 Security

1.3.2 Shrubs 3.3 Plumbing 6.3 Procurement
systems lighting systems

4.2.1.2 Lobby
lighting

* Zoom in to enhance readability

33
 WBS: Functional Approach

Home
Renovation

2.0 Electrical &

1.0 Roof 3.0 Interior 4.0 Exterior
Mechanical
Reconstruction Upgrading Upgrading
Systems

1.2 New roof 1.3 New Roof 3.1 Doors & 3.2 Walls & 4.1 Swimming 4.2 Patios &
1.1 Old roof 2.1 Electrical 2.2 Plumbing 2.3 HVAC
design Construction Windows Ceiling Pool Pathways

1.3.1 NTC 1 2.3.1 Heating 3.1.1 Doors 3.2.1 Walls 4.1.1 Pool 4.2.1 Patio

2.3.2 Air
1.3.2 NRC II 3.1.2 Windows 3.2.2 Ceilings 4.1.2 Deck 4.2.2 Pathways
conditioning

* Zoom in to enhance readability

34
WBS: Phase-Based Approach

Software
Upgrade

3.0 Phase 4.0 Phase

1.0 Phase 2.0 Phase 5.0 Phase
Three Alpha Four Beta
One Plan Two Pilot Five Upgrade
Group Group

1.1 Audit 2.1 Software

3.1 Alpha 3.2 Alpha 4.1 Beta 4.2 Beta
existing demo 5.1 Test 5.2 Code
testing group testing testing Group testing
software environment

1.3 Audit
3.1.1 Test 3.2.1 Test 4.1.1 Test 4.2.1 Test 5.2.1 Final
existing 2.2 Test 1
alpha 1 alpha 2 beta I beta 2 updates
hardware

1.3 Impact 2.3 Staging

3.1.2 Code 3.2.2 Code 4.1.2 Code 4.2.2 Code 5.2.2 Upgrade
analysis environment

2.4 Test 2

* Zoom in to enhance readability

35
 WBS – Virtual Conference
IC-2.3

Virtual
Conference

7.0 Project
1.0 Feasibility 2.0 Design 3.0 Build 4.0 Test 5.0 Deploy 6.0 Close
Management

2.1 Look and 2.2 4.1 5.1 Live 6.1 Recording 6.2 Feedback
1.1 Survey 3.1 Landing 7.1 Team
feel Wireframes Registration sessions links Survey

1.2 2.2.1 3.2 5.2 Customer 6.2.1 7.2 Project

4.2 Payment
Technology Registration Registration service Questions meetings

2.2.2 Payment 3.3 Payment 4.3 Recording 5.3 Video 6.2.2 Survey 7.3 Reports

5.4 Recording 5.2.3 Results

* Zoom in to enhance readability

36
 WBS – Virtual Conference – AI (1)

• The PMExpo team

asked Tom’s Planner:
For the Virtual Conference
project, create a project to
gather requirements, build
and set up registration and
provide an online event for
virtual attendees.

Note: The WBS is only partially

shown due to space

37
 WBS – Virtual Conference – AI (1)

• The PMExpo team asked ChatGPT:

For the Virtual conference project, please create a WBS with 3 levels.
Note: The WBS is only partially shown due to space
Level 1: Project Phases Level 2: Sub-Phases and Deliverables Level 3: Detailed Tasks and
1.Project Initiation 1.1 Define Project Scope Activities
2.Planning 1.2 Identify Key Stakeholders 1.1.1 Document Project
3.Execution 1.3 Develop Project Charter Objectives
4.Monitoring and Control 1.1.2 Define Project Scope
5.Closure 2.1 Develop Project Plan Boundaries
2.2 Select Technology Solutions
2.3 Create Content Strategy 1.2.1 Identify Primary
2.4 Design Website Stakeholders
2.5 Plan Marketing Campaign 1.2.2 Engage Stakeholders for
2.6 Set Up Registration System Requirements
2.7 Prepare Technical Infrastructure
2.8 Plan Event Logistics 1.3.1 Draft Project Charter
2.9 Define Post-Event Evaluation Process 1.3.2 Obtain Charter Approval
2.10 Prepare Closure Checklist

38
 WBS – Virtual Conference – AI (2)

• The PMExpo team asked Goblin.tools

39
 WBS – Questions
IC-3.3
IC-3.4
1. The project document that provides detailed information
about each WBS item is called?
a. Work package
b. WBS details
c. Supplementary information
d. WBS dictionary
2. Sandra is working with the project team to create the WBS
for her project. The team is very experienced, but this is a
balanced matrix organization. Which technique is best to
use to develop the WBS?
a. Analogous
b. Top-down
c. Bottom-up
d. Mind-mapping
Answers available via
Interactive Content on Quercus 40
Module 5 - Section 3

Product Backlog

41
 Product Analysis
IC-1.4

• May be used for either predictive or adaptive approaches

• Used to further define the product or service
• Includes asking questions on the use and characteristics of
what is to be delivered
• Requirements are captured at a high level and then
decomposed into deliverables
• May include:
– Product breakdown structure
– Requirements analysis
– Systems analysis
– Systems engineering
– Value analysis
– Value engineering

42
Product Backlog
Product Backlog Items
• A product backlog is:
Item Value
– An ordered user-centric
High
list of requirements Priority

– Contains new features or

changes that the team User
stories
gathers to achieve a
specific outcome Bugs

– The single authoritative Re-

factoring
source for things that a
Knowledge
team works on Acquisition
• The presence of product
backlog items does not
guarantee that the items Low
Priority
will be delivered
43
 Product Backlog – Website
Feature
• The team has decided • Create user id
• Provide venue information
to use an agile
pages
approach for the • Allow users to provide
development of the feedback
PMExpo website • Registration payment process
• Allow users to tag speakers
• The project team talked and events
to stakeholders and • Allow SMEs to post messages
have developed the • Load speaker bios into events
following list of features • Delete users
• Post promotion material
• Create home page
• Registrant agenda
• Sent emails to registrants
44
Benefits of Product Backlogs
• Provide a placeholder for future discussions on options to
deliver a desired outcome
• Manage team’s learning about the desired outcome and
the potential ways to deliver it
• The backlog does not have to be complete when the team
starts working; items can be added as product teams learn
more about the product
• An item can be removed or replaced easily, based on the
value added to the product
• Items are prioritized based on the value they add to the
product

45
Backlog Prioritization
• This helps product owners
determine what backlog items
the team should work on next
• It allows the product team to
select the items with the most
value to deliver to customers
• Provides communication
between the product owner
and the team to define the
items with more value and
complexity and/or less effort
• Different techniques are used
that can be adjusted
depending on the sprint
duration

46
Factors in Prioritization
• The following main factors to be considered during
prioritization:
– Customer value associated to the outcome for the features
being delivered
– Necessity (need) of feature for the customer using it
• Other factors to be considered include:
– The amount of Knowledge Transfer created by building the
feature with the product team
– The amount of Risk being removed by building the feature
(operational, security, regulatory, functional, etc.)

Source: Agile Estimating & Planning, Mike Cohn, Prentice Hall, 2005
47
Techniques for Prioritization
• Some teams prefer the bucket technique, putting all
features in a large backlog bucket and then simply
prioritizing
• Other teams start prioritizing by utilizing several
prioritization techniques
• Four major techniques for backlog prioritization are:
– Stack Ranking
– MoSCoW Method
– Kano Model
– Cost of Delay

Source: Agile Estimating & Planning, Mike Cohn, Prentice Hall, 2005
48
 Stack Ranking – Website
Feature Rank
• With this technique, each • Create user id 3
backlog item is placed in • Provide venue information
7
order of priority pages
• Allow users to provide
• There can only be one 8
feedback
number one, two, three,
• Registration payment process 4
etc. and continue to n
• Allow users to tag speakers
– This will avoid the team and events
9
considering everything as a
• Allow SMEs to post messages 10
priority
• Load speaker bios into events 2
• It is often more accurate
and less confusing • Delete users 12
– Prioritize the items in • Post promotion material 6
comparison with all other • Create home page 1
items on the product backlog
• Registrant agenda 5
• Sent emails to registrants 11
49
 MoSCoW Model – Website
Feature MSCW
• MoSCoW is a prioritization • Create user id M
technique used to manage
backlog item priorities: • Provide venue information
S
pages
– Must have this requirement
to meet the business needs, • Allow users to provide
S
or; feedback
– Should have, if possible, but • Registration payment process M
it is not mandatory for project • Allow users to tag speakers
success; C
and events
– Could have if it doesn’t affect • Allow SMEs to post messages
Must or Should items, or; C
– Would like to have, but not • Load speaker bios into events M
this time • Delete users C
• The must requirements are • Post promotion material S
non-negotiable
• Failure to deliver them will • Create home page M
likely mean the sprint will fail • Registrant agenda S
• Sent emails to registrants C
50
 Product Backlog – Website – AI (1)

• The PMExpo team asked ChatGPT:

For the website project, create a product backlog with 10 items. Please prioritize
the items in the backlog using the MoSCoW approach.*

*The restrictions on the length are for the purpose of showing the results.

51
 Product Backlog – Website – AI (2)

• User Registration System (M): Implement a user registration and login system to enable attendees to
create accounts and access event content.
• Event Program Page (M): Create a dedicated event program page that provides detailed information
about sessions, speakers, and schedules.
• Responsive Design (M): Ensure the website is fully responsive to provide a seamless experience on
various devices and screen sizes.
• Secure Payment Processing (M): Set up a secure payment gateway to handle registration fees and
payments from attendees and exhibitors.
• Homepage (M): Design an engaging and informative homepage that highlights key event details and
encourages registration.
• Venue Information and Maps (S): Include venue details, maps, and directions to help attendees
navigate the physical location of the event.
• FAQ Section (S): Create a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section to address common queries from
attendees and exhibitors.
• Social Media Integration (C): Add social media integration to allow attendees to share event updates
and connect with peers.
• Promotion and Announcement Section (C): Include a section for event announcements, news, and
promotions to keep attendees informed and engaged.
• Virtual Reality Integration (W): Explore the possibility of integrating virtual reality features for a more
immersive experience. (This is considered lower priority and won't be pursued in the current phase).

52
 Kano Model
IC-1.5

• Customer satisfaction depends

on the level of functionality
provided Attractive

• Kano proposes two dimensions

Performance
to represent how customers

Investment
feel:
– Satisfaction (delight, excitement) Indifferent
– Investment (sophistication) Absent Necessity

• Features can be classified into Must-be

four categories:
– Performance
– Must be
– Attractive
– Indifferent

Source: https://www.career.pm/briefings/kano-model
53
 Kano Model – Website Allow users to provide
feedback

Allow users to tag

speakers and events

Attractive

Allow SMEs to post

Performance messages

Investment
Indifferent
Absent
Necessity

Must-be

Delete users
Create Home page

Post promotion Registration

Create user id material payment process

Source: https://www.career.pm/briefings/kano-model/
54
Cost of Delay
• The Cost of Delay helps teams understand and
quantify the impact of time
• It calculates how long it takes to develop a new feature,
including any time spent waiting in a backlog, which will
end up costing your business
• It considers both value and urgency
• For example, in Toronto, a 15-minute delay getting out
of the house could result in a 30-minute commute
becoming 60 minutes

Source: www.leadingagile.com
55
 Cost of Delay – Website
• By delaying promotion
Number of
and registration on the attendees

Cost of Delay
website by one quarter,
there will be a cost impact Number of
attendees
due to fewer members

Number of attendees
Value or Benefit
who will know about the
event and register

Promotion Promotion
starts starts
Delay
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Time

56
 Prioritization Outcomes

High Feature
Priority
Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to start an iteration
and the work required to deliver the features
Each new feature is prioritized and
added to the stack
Features may be reprioritized at any
point in time in discussions with the
team
Features may be removed at any time
Low
Priority

Product Backlog

57
 Backlog Prioritization – Website
IC-2.4
Feature Priority
Create home page 1
Load speakers’ bios into events 2
Create user id 3
Registration payment process 4
Registrant agenda 5
Post promotion material and ads 6
Provide venue information pages 7
Users can provide feedback 8
Allow users to tag speakers and events 9
Allow SMEs post messages 10
Send emails to registrants 11
Delete users 12

58
 Product Backlog – Questions
IC-3.5
IC-3.6
1. The main factor considered for prioritization of the product
backlog is:
a. Customer satisfaction
b. Customer value
c. Business need
d. Business satisfaction
2. What is the outcome of product backlog prioritization?
a. Each feature belongs to an iteration that was defined
b. Each iteration implements the lowest priority features
c. Each feature can be deleted or added to the stack
d. Each new feature is prioritized and added to the stack

Answers available via

Interactive Content on Quercus 59
Module 5 - Section 4

User Stories

60
 Feature Decomposition
IC-1.6

User
Features Epics Tasks
stories

61
 Decomposition

• Like a WBS, agile decomposes, breaks down elements

• May be referred to as a Value Breakdown Structure (VBS)
• At the top level, are themes; groups of features listed
within your product roadmap
• At the next level are features:
– The requirements that your end users want
– Written from the perspective of end users
• Features are further decomposed into epics
– Are a series of actions related to the feature
• Epics are further decomposed into user stories
• And finally, are tasks; the detailed work the team does to
make the required feature
What does
AI suggest?
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Personas
• Creating personas is a technique used to understand the
perspective of potential end users
• A persona represents a groups of users who will be using
the product
• They are fictitious characters who have similar needs to
your end users
• Detailed descriptions may include age, experience level,
location
• These provide valuable insight and behavioral information
about how the end user might interact with your product or
service

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 Personas – Website
Persona The Newbie Persona The Job Hunter
Age 25-30 Age 45-50
Fictional Name Lee Fictional Name Andre
Job Title Project Coordinator
Past Job Title Senior Project
Manager

Membership Profile New member Membership Profile Long term member, has attended live
Work experience • Newly graduated PMExpos in the past
• New to the workforce Work experience • Recently laid off due to a company
Life Stage • Single merger
Goals • Be promoted, or move to a more • Experienced project manager
senior role within 24 months • Managed large programs for
multinational firms
Motivation • Get more experience to enhance
Life Stage • Married, with live-at-home children
her career
• Grow her professional network Goals • To find a new job
• Learn from mentors Motivation • Connect with senior members
• Earn PDUs
• Acquire more knowledge on agile
Time Commitment 10-15 hours a month
• Learn about working in virtual
Location Los Angeles environments
Social Media Use Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, part Time Commitment 20-25 hours a month
of daily life Location Paris
Technologically Extremely comfortable with smart Social Media Use Uses WhatsApp. May use social media
Savvy phone use, new apps for job hunting
Technologically Experienced with web technology, not
Savvy familiar with social media sites

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 Epics – Website

• Epics break down work into smaller components while

keeping daily work connected to the larger theme
• Epics are more specific than themes
• Epics are large user stories
• Examples:
• As Lee, I want to register for PMExpo so that I can plan my
trip
– As Andre, I want to utilize my PMA membership to attend the
PMExpo so that I can expand my knowledge and network

Source: Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products. Second Edition, Jim Highsmith, Pearson Education, 2009
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 User Stories

• Features are further defined by developing user stories

• A single user story is a subset of a feature
• Are short and simple descriptions of what a user wants
from a product or solution
• Written in informal terms, as functional requirements and
focus on the products (solution or service) behaviour
• Often follow the same format: “As a < persona>, I want <
some goal > so that < some benefit >”
• User stories, like agile development, evolve over time
• They don’t represent a set of ‘fixed’ requirements
• Are continuously refined through reviews and
retrospectives What does
AI suggest?

Source: Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products. Second Edition, Jim Highsmith, Pearson Education, 2009
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 User Story – Website

Persona Goal or Description

As Lee, I need to enter my discount code so

that I will get a reduced cost.

Motivation or Benefit

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 User Story – Website
IC-2.5
Persona Goal or Description

As Andre, I need ___________ so that

______________.
Motivation or Benefit

Persona Goal or Description

As Lee, I need ___________ so that

______________.

Motivation or Benefit
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 Story Cards
IC-1.7
• Document key requirements within the user story
• Details on front of card include value statement and requirements
• Details on the back of the card include acceptance criteria and high-
level estimate
• Are formatted like an index card, listing:
– Title
– Value statement
– Basic requirements
– Size or estimate
– Acceptance criteria
• When writing, team members should follow the INVEST rule
– Independent
– Negotiable
– Valuable
– Estimable
– Small
– Testable

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 Story Cards – Website
Front of Card User Story Card Back of Card User Story Card
Title Registration process Acceptance ∙ Logged onto website with
Value ∙ As a PMA member accessing Criteria: membership ID and password
statement: the PMExpo website, I want ∙ Membership profile retrieved
to be able to register and pay from database
for the conference online and ∙ Directed through to registration
receive an email confirmation page
Requirements: ∙ Login with membership ∙ Appropriate membership
information PMExpo conference discount
∙ Provide registration page, fee presented
with data fields for first, last ∙ Validated and paid for
name, email address, mailing conference with credit card
address, first time or ∙ Received email confirmation,
returning attendee with conference registration
∙ Present fees for PMExpo in number
US funds ∙ Membership profile details
∙ Offer various credit card updated, noting attendance
options
∙ Confirm banking security
protocols
∙ Send email confirmation Estimate: Medium

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 User Story – Website - AI
For the Website project, create a user story for the User Registration system
feature from the product backlog.

• Story:
– As a potential attendee of PMExpo, I want to register for the event, so I can access
conference materials and participate in the virtual conference.
• Acceptance Criteria:
1. The registration page should be accessible from the website's main menu.
2. Users should be able to fill in their personal information, including name, email, job title,
and company.
3. Users should be able to select their preferred payment method (e.g., credit card, PayPal).
4. Upon successful registration and payment, users should receive a confirmation email with
event details and login instructions.
5. Users should have the option to create a password-protected account for future access to
event materials and updates.
6. The system should validate user inputs and provide clear error messages for any issues
during registration.
7. User data should be securely stored and compliant with data protection regulations.

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 Story Map – Website
Level Simple Example

Customer’s Objective Use the PMExpo website

Objectives to register and obtain
information about the
conference
Feature Feature
Feature Registration payment
process

Epic Epic Epic Epic As Lee, I want to register

for PMExpo so that I can
plan my trip
Story As Lee, I need to enter my
User
Story User User User User discount code so that I will
User Story User Story Story Story get a reduced cost
Story Story

Task Task Task Task Apply discount to invoice

Task Task Task
Task Task Task

Source: Gen P New Generation of Product Owners Who Care About Customers, P Monkhouse, J Tivig, 2019, Ch. 5
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 User Stories – Questions
IC-3.7
IC-3.8
1. You are a new project manager, and you are organizing
an event to create a story map for your project. What
should be at the top of the story map?
a. User Story
b. Feature
c. Customer’s objective
d. Features and epics
2. Decomposing work on agile projects involves_________.
a. Gathering requirements through interviews
b. Defining tasks and assigning them to features
c. Teams breaking user stories down into epics
d. Using story cards to facilitate planning
Answers available via
Interactive Content on Quercus 73
 Module 5 - Section 5

Review and Next Module

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 Module 5 – Learning Outcomes

• In this module you learned how to:

– Understand the various methods for collecting requirements
– Construct a Work Breakdown Structure
– Construct a Product Backlog
– Prepare User Stories

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Module 5 – Review
• 5.1 Project Requirements
• 5.2 Work Breakdown Structure
• 5.3 Product Backlog
• 5.4 User Stories

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 Next Module

• Module 6: Create Project Schedule

– Plan Project Schedule
– Gantt Chart
– Sprint Planning
– Release Planning
• Read
– Chapter 5: Planning Projects Part 2, pages 162-186, 195-196

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 Assessments

• Group Assignment 2 due this Module

• Individual Exercise 3 due next Module

• Confidence Quiz 2 due this Module

– Covers Modules 4 and 5

78
Any questions?

79
Thank You
Thank you for choosing the University of Toronto
School of Continuing Studies

80
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