Pictures can convey messages much more powerfully than words. In a recent discussion about writing whitepapers, I suggested combining the idea-creation advice from Made To Stick with the image-creation advice from Back of The Napkin. Check out this article to see some concrete examples.
Communication / Consulting / Project Management / Writing
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Effective Status Reports
An effective status report is one that Instantly conveys the state of the project. Creates a minimum of overhead for the project team. Gets you help when you need it, and latitude when you don’t. Is fun / energizing to the author and the readers. An effective status report is […]
Communication / Presentation / Writing
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Get an Edge With Visual Communication
Having trouble working through complex concepts? Struggling to get a “simple” message across? As human beings, we are all pre-wired to absorb visual communication. You should take advantage of that to give yourself an edge when it comes to communicating.
Business Analysis / Communication / Ishikawa Diagram / Product Management / Requirements / Requirements Models / Writing
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Defining Problems With Cause And Effect Diagrams
The Cause and Effect diagram is also known as a fish bone diagram, because it resembles the skeleton of a fish. Using a cause and effect diagram can be the most effective way to define the problems that you intend to solve with your product. Get your stakeholders engaged in […]
Business Analysis / Communication / Consulting / Requirements / Writing
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Requirements Writing Style and Synonyms
A rose by any other name… When we’re learning how to write in high school and college, we’re taught that synonyms make our writing more exciting. In fact, not using synonyms can make our prose clumsy and awkward. When it comes to requirements, the last thing you want to do […]
Business Analysis / Business Rules / Communication / Consulting / Requirements / Writing
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Why Separate Rules from Requirements
Separation of business rules from requirements is a good thing. Not because of semantic distinctions, but because it allows you to write better software, write it faster, and change it more easily. This article is a response to an excellent comment on our recent article about hidden business rules. Thanks […]
Business Analysis / Communication / Consulting / Presentation / Requirements / Writing
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Effective Communication of Requirements
Effective communication of requirements requires more than documentation and broadcasting. Effective communication requires interaction and collaboration. Alistair Cockburn addresses this in his analysis of project successes and modes of communication.
Business Analysis / Product Management / Requirements / Writing
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Writing Stylish Requirements
You knew it would happen eventually, the big ten rules of writing requirements has become the big twelve rules. Maybe scope creep isn’t such a bad thing after all. Writing style plays an important role in writing requirements too.
Communication / Requirements / Writing
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Logical Requirements
We talk about characteristics of good requirements, including completeness, correctness, and ambiguity. But how do we assure that our requirements are complete, correct, and unambiguous? Simple, Captain, with logic.