How to Systematically Delight Your Customers

Requirements Engineering is a critical discipline in software development that enables the identification, understanding, documentation, and validation of the needs, expectations, and desires of stakeholders. It lays the foundation for the entire development process and serves to define clear objectives, prevent misdevelopments, improve project planning, and minimize project risks.

The question arises: "How can we ensure that our Requirements Engineering provides these fundamentals for project success?"

This article addresses this question from the perspective of requirement elicitation and describes how you can systematically delight your customers.

Requirements in most projects are divided into functional and non-functional requirements, as well as constraints. This classification is correct and necessary; however, it does not truly help us when selecting the appropriate elicitation techniques for our project.

Before we define the suitable elicitation techniques, we must create a basis for categorizing the requirements. The different structures of requirements necessitate specific elicitation techniques, which will be elaborated upon in the subsequent section.

To this end, we utilize the Kano Model, which allows us to categorize requirements into basic, performance, and excitement factors:

Basic Factors:

• Basic factors are often unconscious requirements and are taken for granted.
• Their non-fulfillment leads to stakeholder dissatisfaction.
• High coverage of these requirements does not delight stakeholders, as these are viewed as standard.

Performance Factors:

• These are requirements that increase stakeholder satisfaction in proportion to their fulfillment level.
• The more performance requirements are met, the higher the stakeholder satisfaction; conversely, lower fulfillment leads to reduced satisfaction.
• These requirements are not regarded as standard and are usually conscious requirements explicitly demanded by stakeholders.

Excitement Factors:

• These are requirements that lead to high satisfaction among stakeholders upon fulfillment.
• Similar to basic factors, excitement factors are often unconscious requirements that stakeholders do not explicitly request.
• The more excitement requirements are fulfilled, the greater the enthusiasm of stakeholders.

Example:

We have received a commission to develop a new car model. In doing so, we would like to categorize our requirements according to the Kano model.

Possible basic factors, which are not explicitly requested by stakeholders as they appear self-evident, yet whose non-fulfillment would have a significantly negative impact on our model, could include omitting the gas pedal and brakes, or even leaving out rear and side mirrors.

Anticipated performance factors that our stakeholders consciously request might include a high range per tank fill or battery charge, or rapid acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h.

A potential excitement factor, an extra that our stakeholders did not anticipate, since they were not aware of its existence, could be a parking assistant that autonomously searches for a free parking space and parks the car after the driver has already exited near the building entrance.

Requirements Engineering employs various techniques to elicit requirements. A fundamental distinction is made between requirement gathering and drafting/idea generation.

The choice of suitable elicitation techniques is critical for a project's success. The following section will assign elicitation techniques to the different factors of the Kano model.

The Kano model describes that basic and excitement factors are usually unconscious requirements. Basic factors are regarded as self-evident and are often not explicitly mentioned, while stakeholders are often unaware of excitement factors and therefore cannot explicitly demand them. This is precisely why the support of well-trained Requirements Engineering experts is key to success in identifying these unconscious requirements.

Conversely, performance factors are requirements that stakeholders are conscious of and demand explicitly. A good Requirements Engineering process is characterized by taking all three factors into account through appropriate methods.

To identify basic factors, field observation and apprenticeship are particularly useful. These methods can uncover unconscious requirements that would not be recognized through simple interviews or workshops. Additionally, existing systems and documentation, as well as feedback analysis, can provide valuable input.

Performance factors can be identified through survey-based, collaborative, and artifact-based techniques. Since these are conscious requirements, they can be effectively captured through interviews, questionnaires, workshops, and crowd-based RE techniques. Similar to basic factors, existing systems and their documentation can also be referenced here.

Identifying excitement factors can present more of a challenge than identifying basic and performance factors. This requires creativity and may involve design creation. Using these techniques, new and innovative ideas can quickly be generated and tested, allowing the product or service to distinguish itself from competitors and thereby create a competitive advantage.

It’s important to note that while a specific elicitation technique might be particularly helpful for identifying one type of factor as described in the Kano model, it should not be restricted to that use. It may also be advisable to apply creative techniques like brainstorming when identifying basic and performance factors.

A good mix of the right elicitation techniques is crucial for project success. Basic factors must be reliably captured and fulfilled, while performance and excitement factors are identified through interactive and creative methods. The correct application of elicitation techniques is as critical for success as selecting the right technique itself when it comes to avoiding pitfalls and leading the project to success.

Therefore, invest in sound Requirements Engineering that not only meets expectations but delights! Secure a competitive edge for tomorrow today – together with our specialists.