Conventional Requirements Model Flaw Misses REAL Business Requirements
by Robin F. Goldsmith, JD
A fundamental flaw in the widely-held conventional model of requirements creates much of creep and other requirements difficulties. This flaw involves misunderstanding of the nature and role of REAL business requirements. The term “REAL” relates to requirements in two ways. The first way is widely recognizable and is represented in lower-case. People think they know what the requirements are and then learn differently and must revise their requirements definition. Thus, the “real” requirements are what one ends up with, as opposed to what one may have thought initially.
The second use of “REAL” warrants distinguishing with upper case because it represents breakthrough awareness that REAL requirements are business requirements, which are in business terms and are what must be delivered to provide value.
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| Conventional Requirements Model Flaw Misses REAL Business Requirements.pdf | 158.75 KB |
The Fisher Space Pen
It makes a great story, in fact I used to use it myself. However, the reality is a little more prosaic.See http://history.nasa.gov/spacepen.html
In fact, the pen was developed with private funding as a marketing gimmick and adopted by NASA once it proved effective, and the Soviets use them too. (Pencils are actually not good in space as the shavings from sharpening them cause all sorts of problems as they float around the cabin).
Proves nothing, I know--it's just that it's one of those cases where the urban legend is probably more interesting than the reality. ;-)
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Kevin Brennan, PMP
Sr. Consultant, blue sands Inc.
Vice-President, Body of Knowledge, IIBA