A pivotal point in the beginning of a software project is the announcement of what will be made, what it should do, who will use it, why they need it, and why they will buy it. This information often comes in the form of a “requirements” document. And what a critical role these requirements play. The entire software product team (development, testing, documentation, support, and training) defines its tasks and deliverables based on the requirements. These requirements should give them the information they need to create a product that satisfies and delights its target customers.
What information about customers should the requirements document contain to enable the product team to reach their goal? I will describe the essential role user profiles, user personas, and user scenarios can play in requirements documents. Through an interactive example, you will discover how this information gives the product team a powerful tool for creating a customer-pleasing product. Specifically, we will talk about:
Along the way, we will discuss the limitations of some of the other methods we currently use to gather information about customers.
The Inmates Are Running the Asylum by Alan Cooper (also see www.cooper.com)
User-centered Web Design by John Cato