Understanding and analyzing business requirements is a critical step in the success of any CRM project. This process involves several stakeholders, including Business Analysts (BA), Project Managers (PM), Development Teams, and Quality Assurance (QA) Teams. The scale of involvement depends on the company’s size and the project’s complexity.
Stakeholders in a CRM Project:
- Business Analyst (BA)
- Project Manager (PM)
- Development Team
- Quality Assurance (QA) Team
According to the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), business analysis activities typically follow these stages:
1. Form Requirements: Elicit Requirement
Objective: Define the goal, such as enabling an Area Sales Manager (ASM) to make informed business decisions based on available information.
Business Requirement: Clearly state what is needed, e.g., “The ASM shall be able to access the previous month’s sales report at the beginning of each month.”
Solution Requirement: Break down the business requirement into detailed technical requirements.
Traceability Matrix: Ensure scope management by mapping requirements to their origins and tracking their progress.
2. Transform Requirements: Requirement Analysis
Gap Analysis: Compare the current state with the desired future state to identify gaps.
Root Cause Analysis: Use techniques like the 5 Whys to identify the underlying causes of issues.
Use Case and Use Case Diagrams: Define and visualize the interactions between users and the system.
Process Flow Chart: Illustrate the steps involved in processes to provide a clear understanding.
Prioritize Requirements: Rank requirements based on their importance and impact.
Solution Requirements: Develop detailed solution requirements based on the analysis.
3. Finalize Requirements: Document Requirements
Business Requirements Documentation (BRD):
- High-level documentation of business requirements.
- Stakeholders: Business User, Development Lead, QA Lead.
- Document Sign-off: Ensure quality assurance by obtaining approval from stakeholders.
Solution Requirements Documentation (SRD):
- Detailed documentation, including functional and non-functional requirements.
- Ensure the requirements are feasible and testable.
Traceability Matrix:
- A sample traceability matrix to demonstrate its structure:
| Items# | OBJ01 | BRD01 | SRD01 |
4. Manage Change Requests
Estimation:
- Gather estimates from BA, Development, and QA teams.
Decision Making:
- Make decisions based on budget and deadlines.
By following these structured steps and involving all relevant stakeholders, organizations can effectively analyze and manage business requirements for successful CRM project implementation.