Facts Finding

Techniques
IT-3540

Uses of Fact-Finding Techniques

What Facts are collected?
Fact Finding Techniques

Lecture 11
Introduction to Requirements
Discovery
 Requirements discovery – the process and techniques used to identify
requirements from the user community.

 System requirement – property that the information system must have. Also
called a business requirement.
Functional vs. Nonfunctional
Requirements
 Functional requirement
Something the information system must do.

 Nonfunctional requirement
Property or quality the system must have
 Performance
 Security
 Costs
Results of Incorrect Requirements

 The system may cost more than projected.

 The system may be delivered later than promised.
 The system may not meet the users’ expectations and they may not to use it.
Relative Cost to Fix an Error
Criteria for System Requirements

 Consistent – not conflicting or ambiguous.

 Complete – describe all possible system inputs and responses.
 Feasible – can be satisfied based on the available resources and constraints.
 Required – truly needed and fulfill the purpose of the system.
 Accurate – stated correctly.
 Traceable – directly map to functions and features of system.
Criteria for System Requirements

 Graphical tool used to identify, explore, and depict problems and the causes and
effects of those problems. It is often referred to as a cause-and-effect diagram or
a fishbone diagram.
 Problem at right (fish head)
 Possible causes drawn as "bones" off main backbone
 Brainstorm for 3-6 main categories of possible causes
Criteria for System Requirements
Fact-Finding Ethics

 Fact-Finding often brings systems analysts into contact with sensitive information.
 Company plans
 Employee salaries or medical history
 Customer credit card, social security, or other information

 Ethical behavior
 Systems analysts must not misuse information.
 Systems analysts must protect information from people who would misuse it.

 Otherwise
 Systems analyst loses respect, credibility, and confidence of users and management, impairing ability to do job
 Organization and systems analyst could have legal liability
 Systems analyst could lose job
 Fact-Finding Methods

 Examining Documentation
 Interviewing
 Observation
 Research
 Questionnaires
Existing Documentation, Forms, &
Files
 Sampling –process of collecting a representative sample of documents, forms,
and records.
 Organization chart
 Memos and other documents that describe the problem
 Standard operating procedures for current system
 Completed forms
 Manual and computerized screens and reports
 Flowcharts and other system documentation
 And more
Why to Sample Completed Rather
than Blank Forms
 Can determine type of data going into each blank
 Can determine size of data going into each blank
 Can determine
which blanks
are not used
or not always
used
 Can see data
relationships
Observation

 Observation – a fact-finding technique wherein the systems analyst either

participates in or watches a person perform activities to learn about the system.
 Advantages?
 Disadvantages?

 Work sampling - a fact-finding technique that involves a large number of

observations taken at random intervals.
Observation

Advantages Disadvantages
 Data gathered can be very  People may perform
reliable differently when being
 Can see exactly what is observed
being done in complex  Work observed may not be
tasks representative of normal
 Relatively inexpensive conditions
compared with other  Timing can be inconvenient
techniques  Interruptions
 Can do work  Some tasks not always
measurements performed the same way
 May observe wrong way of
doing things
Questionnaires

 Questionnaire – a special-purpose document that allows the analyst to collect

information and opinions from respondents.
 Free-format questionnaire – a questionnaire designed to offer the respondent
greater latitude in the answer. A question is asked, and the respondent records the
answer in the space provided after the question.
 Fixed-format questionnaire – a questionnaire containing questions that require
selecting an answer from predefined available responses.
Questionnaires

Advantages Disadvantages
 Often can be answered  Return rate is often low
quickly  No guarantee that an
 People can complete at individual will answer all
their convenience questions
 Relatively inexpensive  No opportunity to reword
way to gather data from a or explain misunderstood
large number questions
 Responses can be  Cannot observe body
tabulated quickly language
 Difficult to prepare
 Types of Fixed-Format Questions

 Multiple-choice questions
 Rating questions Is the current accounts receivable
report that you receive useful?
 Ranking questions
___ Yes
___ No
Rank the following transactions according to the amount of time you spend
processing them.
___ % new customer orders The implementation of quality discounts would
___ % order cancellations cause an increase in customer orders.
___ % order modifications ___ Strongly agree
___ % payments ___ Agree
___ No opinion
___ Disagree
___ Strongly disagree
Interviews

 Interview - a fact-finding technique whereby the systems analysts collect

information from individuals through face-to-face interaction.

The personal interview is generally

recognized as the most important and
most often used fact-finding technique.
Types of Interviews and Questions

 Unstructured interview –conducted with only a general goal or subject in mind

and with few, if any, specific questions. The interviewer counts on the
interviewee to provide a framework and direct the conversation.
 Structured interview –interviewer has a specific set of questions to ask of the
interviewee.
 Open-ended question – question that allows the interviewee to respond in any way.
 Closed-ended question – a question that restricts answers to either specific choices or
short, direct responses.
Interviews

Advantages Disadvantages
 Give analyst opportunity to  Time-consuming
motivate interviewee to
 Success highly dependent on
respond freely and openly
analyst's human relations
 Allow analyst to probe for skills
more feedback
 May be impractical due to
 Permit analyst to adapt or
location of interviewees
reword questions for each
individual
 Can observe nonverbal
communication
Interviewing Do’s and Don’ts
Do Don't
 Dress appropriately  Assume an answer is finished
 Be courteous or leading nowhere
 Listen carefully  Reveal verbal and nonverbal
clues
 Maintain control of the
interview  Use jargon
 Probe  Reveal personal biases
 Observe mannerisms and  Talk more than listen
nonverbal communication  Assume anything about the
 Be patient topic or the interviewee
 Keep interviewee at ease  Tape record (take notes
instead)
 Maintain self-control
 Finish on time
Body Language and Proxemics

 Body language – the nonverbal information we communicate.

 Facial disclosure
 Eye contact
 Posture