Chapter Five Outline

Methods for Gathering Requirements

• Chapters 4 and 5 cover the second stage of the UCWDLC.

1. Define the Mission of the Web Site and the User Population

2. Collect the User Requirements for the Web Site

3. Create the Conceptual Design of the Web Site

4. Create the Physical Design of the Web Site

5. Perform Usability Testing of the Web Site

6. Implement and Market the Web Site

7. Evaluate and Improve the Web Site

• This chapter focuses on how to extract, er, collect information from users.

• Since you have already defined the target user population in step one, determining which methods to use should be easy.

• Target users will become the respondents, interviewees, participants, etc. for this phase of development.

Methods of Gathering Information

1. How can you reach your users?

   1. What information do you have?

   2. Do they have a preference for being contacted?

   3. The access you have may determine how you gather requirements.

2. Determining which technique(s) to use

   1. Meeting in person can yield deeper information from users.

   2. With asynchronous communication a larger segment of the user population can be reached.

   3. What resources do you have at your disposal?

   4. Make sure your sample is truly representative, based on how you collect information.

   5. Don't be limited to only one Method.

   6. Rule of thumb: use as many as you can

      1. If you meet with the users, try interviews and focus groups.

      2. If you only have contact information, try surveys (in their various forms) and phone interviews.

      3. Do whatever you can.

   7. There are limits to what and how you can gather information.

   8. Be considerate of the users

      1. Anonymity

      2. Inform the users completely.

      3. Determine what information you need and what information you want.

3. Surveys

   1. General

      1. Word your questions thoughtfully.

      2. Types of questions:

         1. Open-ended

         2. Close-ended

         3. Ranking

         4. Likert scale

      3. Test your questions, don't just proofread.

         1. Pilot studies

      4. Response rates are important.

   2. Paper

      1. Time tested method.

      2. Introductory letter explaining goal, user qualifications, etc.

      3. Collection must be defined.

   3. Electronic

      1. Email

         1. Implementation (inline? attachment?)

         2. Other considerations.

      2. Web

         1. Implementation

            • Web forms

            • Ensuring correctness

            • Scripts and Servers

         2. Testing

            • Usability and Functionality

   4. Distribution

      1. Cost

      2. Time

      3. Marketing and reminders

      4. Reach and range

4. Interviews

   1. Questions

      1. Structured or Unstructured interview

   2. Preconditions

      1. Inform users about purpose, anonymity, etc.

      2. Decide upon a time frame before starting.

   3. Interviewer must be experienced.

   4. Telephone as a medium.

      1. Access and time constraints.

5. Focus Groups

   1. Iterative process, just like everything else in the UCWDLC

   2. Moderator / Facilitator

      1. Must keep discussion relevant to subject.

      2. Divide time equally among participants.

      3. Handle adversity and conflict.

   3. Participants

   4. Recorder

   5. Difficulties

      1. Set meeting times and places.

      2. Peer relationships.

      3. Experience with this process.

   6. Electronic support systems

      1. Allow focus group collection via electronic communications

      2. Still requires the same roles.

      3. Removes some potential social interactions.

      4. Time and location of participants.

6. Alternative methods

   1. Card sorting

   2. Anything else you can think of