I have set out my intention before to argue that Requirements Gathering does more harm than good. The first step was to argue simply that ‘Gathering’ is a passive affair. Now I want to raise a more substantive objection. I want to explore what we mean by ‘Requirements’. I believe that what we mean:
- is too varied and contradictory to be useful
- does not differentiate between ends and means and is therefore dangerous
If I’m right, it means that the term ‘Requirements’ cannot be used effectively in practice and does more harm than good.
So, taking each point in turn.
1. What we mean by requirements is too varied and contradictory to be useful.
At its simplest a requirement is a noun
1 something required; a need.
2 something specified as compulsory.
(Oxford Compact Dictionary)
At once we can see that there is at least a dichotomy if not a contradiction.
A need can be challenged and explored. ‘Why do you need that’? ‘What goal are you trying to satisfy’? ‘Is the need you have expressed the best way to satisfy that goal’?
Something specified as compulsory is not.
Moreover, the something specified can be any ‘thing’. It can be a goal that must be satisfied (without stating how) or it may be a way of satisfying a goal, a solution, (without stating or justifying the goal or the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed solution in satisfying it).
These two meanings are quite different from each other and I want to argue that in an IT Solutions industry, quite dangerous.… Read more (in a new tab)
