Chapter 10

ESTABLISHING REQUIREMENTS

  • 10.1 Introduction
  • 10.2 What, How, and Why?
  • 10.3 What Are Requirements?
  • 10.4 Data Gathering for Requirements
  • 10.5 Data Analysis, Interpretation, and Presentation
  • 10.6 Task Description
  • 10.7 Task Analysis

Objectives

The main aims of this chapter are to:

  • Describe different kinds of requirements.
  • Enable you to identify different kinds of requirements from a simple description.
  • Explain how different data gathering techniques (those introduced in Chapter 7 and others) may be used during the requirements activity.
  • Enable you to develop a scenario, a use case, and an essential use case from a simple description.
  • Enable you to perform hierarchical task analysis on a simple description.

10.1 Introduction

An interaction design project may aim to replace or update an established system, or it may aim to develop a totally innovative product with no obvious precedent. There may be an initial set of requirements, or the project may have to begin by producing a set of requirements from scratch. Whatever the initial situation and whatever the aim of the project, the users' needs, requirements, aspirations, and expectations have to be discussed, refined, clarified, and probably re-scoped. This requires an understanding of, among other things, the users and their capabilities, their current tasks and goals, the conditions under which the product will be used, and constraints on the product's performance.

Establishing requirements is also not simply writing ...

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