RE: [epf-dev] Prioritizing requirements

["Scott W. Ambler" <swa@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On agile projects the stakeholders typically are responsible for
prioritization whereas the IT folks are responsible for estimation.  See
http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/changeManagement.htm#PrioritizingRequirements
for some thoughts on this subject.

I'd be concerned if we deviated from this sort of approach.

- Scott

On Mon, March 12, 2007 11:12 am, Ben Williams said:
> Mark
>
>
>
> Well raised, I think this is an area that needs clarification.
>
>
>
> Maybe I'm having a bad sight day, but I'm in the same boat as you......
>
> First of all, I don't think there is any explicit mention of
> prioritizing requirements as an entity, but prioritizing items in the
> WIL (including requirements) is covered partially.
>
>
>
> Certainly the Project Manager, as primary performer of Task: 'Plan
> Iteration' uses the Stakeholder prioritization as a necessary input into
> that task, but the steps in the task itself could be interpreted in a
> couple of different ways.
>
>
>
> Note my highlighting in Red below.
>
>
>
>
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\tasks\plan_iteration,_0keUEMlgEdmt3adZ
> L5Dmdw.html> Define the iteration objectives
>
> At the beginning of an iteration, the Role: Project Manager
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\roles\project_manager,_0a0o0MlgEdmt3ad
> ZL5Dmdw.html>  works with the team to define 1-5 objectives. These
> objectives should be a refinement of the iteration objectives found in
> the Artifact: Project Plan
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\workproducts\project_plan,_0a6vcMlgEdm
> t3adZL5Dmdw.html> , and should provide high-level direction to what
> should be targeted for the iteration. The objectives should be driven
> based on Role: Stakeholder
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\roles\stakeholder,_dTa6gMAYEdqX-s4mWhk
> yqQ.html>  priorities, and will be revised as the iteration plan is
> finalized. The objectives are usually defined as high-level capabilities
> or scenarios that need to be implemented and tested during the
> iteration.
>
>
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\tasks\plan_iteration,_0keUEMlgEdmt3adZ
> L5Dmdw.html> Produce detailed plan
>
> The Role: Project Manager
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\roles\project_manager,_0a0o0MlgEdmt3ad
> ZL5Dmdw.html>  works with the rest of the team, and especially the
> project stakeholders, to identify the high-priority work items from the
> Artifact: Work Items List
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\workproducts\work_items_list,_rGNWsCbS
> Edqh1LYUOGRh2A.html>  to be addressed within the iteration. The
> high-level objectives provide guidance on what work items should be
> considered. The team should break down work items so they fit within the
> iteration as necessary. Actual effort to complete each Work Item should
> be estimated. When a team has decided to take on a Work Item, it will
> assign the work to one or several team members. Ideally, this is done by
> team members signing up to do the work, since this makes people
> motivated and committed to doing the job, but based on culture, you may
> instead have the project manager assign the work.
>
>
>
> With the first step, it is ambiguous (to me at least) as to whether the
> prioritization has already occurred elsewhere or not.
>
>
>
> With the second step, it is implied that that the prioritization is
> happening here in this step (or why would we need to work with
> 'especially the project stakeholders'?)
>
>
>
> The following exists within Task: 'Define Vision':
>
>
>
>
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\tasks\define_vision,_0fOAoMlgEdmt3adZL
> 5Dmdw.html> Define features of the system
>
> Work with stakeholders to capture a list of features
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\guidances\termdefinitions\feature,_PgY
> REAeYEduWycDgioo5rg.html>  that stakeholders want in the system, briefly
> describing them and giving attributes to help define their general
> status and priority in the project.
>
>
>
> The Task: 'Find and Outline Requirements' contains:
>
>
>
>
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\tasks\find_and_outline_requirements,_P
> 9cMUPV_EdmdHa9MmVPgqQ.html> Update the Work Items List
>
> Capture references to the requirements in the Artifact: Work Items List
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\workproducts\work_items_list,_rGNWsCbS
> Edqh1LYUOGRh2A.html> , so that you can prioritize the work.
>
>
>
> The WIL artifact of course has the following Purpose field:
>
>
> <file:///F:\Telelogic\Product%20Management\EPF\OpenUP_Basic_published-0.
> 9-W-20070216\Publish\openup_basic\workproducts\work_items_list,_rGNWsCbS
> Edqh1LYUOGRh2A.html> Purpose
>
> To collect all requests for work that will potentially be taken on
> within the project, so work can be prioritized, effort estimated and
> progress tracked.
>
>
>
> And the following exists in the Main Description of the WIL artifact:
>
>
>
> *         It provides one list of all the work to be prioritized,
> estimated, and assigned within the project. The risk list is prioritized
> separately.
>
>
>
> In summary, I think prioritization of items in the WIL should be an
> explicit step somewhere (perhaps in 'Plan Iteration' ?), and other
> references to prioritization should be cleaned up.
>
>
>
> Ben
>
>
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>
>> From: epf-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:epf-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxx]
>
>> On Behalf Of Mark.Dickson@xxxxxxxxx
>
>> Sent: 12 March 2007 14:26
>
>> To: epf-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
>> Subject: [epf-dev] Prioritizing requirements
>
>>
>
>> Quick question;
>
>>
>
>> Can someone tell me briefly where in OpenUP/Basic we describe
>
>> requirements
>
>> prioritization? Who is the primary performer and what Task is it
>
>> described
>
>> in? I've flipped though the obvious places in the content but I may
> have
>
>> missed it.
>
>>
>
>> Traditionally in the Unified Process it is something that the
> Architect
>
>> has
>
>> been responsible for within Requirements workflows, hence my interest.
>
>>
>
>> thanks
>
>>
>
>> Mark
>
>>
>
>> Mark Dickson
>
>> Executive Consultant
>
>> EAS Practice
>
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>
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