A lot of teams that I’ve worked on and with get hung up when thinking about defining requirements for “migration projects” and “system upgrades.” There’s some intangible barrier to being market focused when it comes to improving existing internal systems. Every new product represents a solution to an existing problem. […]
Business Analysis / Ishikawa Diagram / Product Management / Requirements / Requirements gathering / Requirements Models
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Provocateurs Gather the Best Requirements
Ask someone what they want, and they’ll tell you they want a faster horse. Provoke them, and they’ll tell you they have a ‘get there faster’ problem, an ‘equine waste disposal’ problem, and issues with total cost of ownership.
Agile / Business Analysis / Business Rules / Interaction design / Interface Design / Product Management / Requirements / Requirements gathering / Software development / Uncategorized / UX
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A Prototype is Worth a Thousand Lines of Code
A picture is worth a thousand words. A prototype is worth a thousand lines of code. Two key elements of product management – and of agile development are elicitation and feedback. Low fidelity artifacts can significantly improve both. Polished, codified prototypes can create problems that prevent you from getting the […]
Business Analysis / Product Management / Requirements / Requirements gathering
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The High Costs of Building the Wrong Product
As product managers, we talk about creating the right solutions with our products. Understanding the very real problems our customers face, understanding the very real opportunities our markets present, and manifesting that understanding in a product roadmap. Other than being “not as good,” how expensive is it to build the […]
Business Analysis / Requirements / Requirements gathering
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Business Goals and Requirements
One of my colleagues got into a debate with one of his colleagues about the differences between goals and requirements. His opponent fired the following salvo: “[That] is not a business requirement in any company of the world…” What you call your requirements is less important than how you communicate […]
Administrivia / Agile / Business Analysis / Prioritization / Product Management / Project Management / Requirements / Requirements gathering / Requirements Models / ROI / Software development / Use Cases
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Most Engaging Articles of 2009
Engagement – that’s what this whole product management blogging thing is about. Check out what Tyner Blain readers found to be the most engaging articles in 2009.
Agile / Communication / Product Management / Project Management / Requirements / Requirements gathering / Software development
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Stakeholders in a Barrel
There’s really only one way to travel down a waterfall – in a barrel. A lot of people died this way, but some survived. Software projects have been predominantly waterfall projects since the start of software projects. And stakeholders rode down those projects, basically in a barrel. The people riding […]
Business Analysis / Business Rules / Process Flow / Process Improvement / Requirements / Requirements gathering
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Hidden Business Rule Example
A business process is not just a sequence of steps. A business process is a series of decisions and actions. Some decisions are obvious and can be actively managed. Some decisions are hidden, and until you discover them, you can’t manage or improve them. Here is a real-world example of […]
Agile / Product Management / Requirements gathering / ROI / Software development
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Market Driven Competitive Advantage
Your strategy should be driven by the needs of the market. Becoming market-driven is critical to intentional product success. But it is not enough to understand your market. You have to sustain your understanding, and take advantage of it, competitively.