Requirements

Market Driven Data Quality (Data Darwinism)

By Jim MacLennan ⋅ February 19, 2011 ⋅ One comment

Just trying a little contrarian thought this week … Have you ever noticed how much time and energy goes in to data validation? I think it stems from visual forms development and the wide variety of clever data entry controls that are available – everyone wants to write an app that gets the oooo, cool! [...]

A Hierarchy of Information Requirements

By Jim MacLennan ⋅ May 9, 2010 ⋅ One comment

It’s a common problem statement – ‘I don’t have enough information to (run my business unit, manage this process, identify opportunities, etc.)’. The solution designer, when faced with a question like this, starts with a little detective work; the problem is too broadly stated.

News for Wombats: Taming Unreasonable Requirements

By Jim MacLennan ⋅ January 26, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

I’ve heard from a couple of friends about some “classic” project requests – dilemmas they have recently faced. These unreasonable requests can be turned into something achievable and, potentially, more relevant / meaningful to the requestor, by approaching the problem from a different direction. Request for Data: the Analytics Project Classic scenario #1 arrives courtesy [...]

Do you want it good or fast? Prioritizing Time-to-Value over Requirements

By Jim MacLennan ⋅ February 10, 2008 ⋅ Post a comment

I have a background in software product development, iterative “methodologies”, and the sort of fast-twitch life cycle that characterizes entrepreneurial startups, high-growing businesses, and “lean” process improvement projects. Unfortunately, this style is also favored by departmental developer wannabes, sloppy coders, and impatient Gen-Y newbies that want to apply a consumer products mentality to corporate IT. [...]

Strategies for Malware in Consulting Engagements

By Jim MacLennan ⋅ May 28, 2006 ⋅ Post a comment

Last in a series on some practical legal mumbo jumbo (disclaimer: IANAL) for your Master Consulting Agreements (MCA). This one was particularly interesting to put in; it’s really interesting to see who catches it, but it was an amazing (in retrospect) observation that led us to include the language. The Trigger Event: A virus outbreak. [...]

Strategies for Risk Sharing in Consulting Engagements

By Jim MacLennan ⋅ May 13, 2006 ⋅ Post a comment

I am late is responding to a comment on this post, first in a series about Consulting Engagements. Earlier this week it was Intellectual Property, with another good comment … so, why all the harsh language about protecting IP that I probably can’t commercialize? Ah – welcome to the world of Risk Sharing. The issue [...]

Your Outlook schedule looks like a game of Tetris

By Jim MacLennan ⋅ July 5, 2005 ⋅ Post a comment

Interesting meetings, discussions from last week; as a former consulting partner once noticed, my calendar in Outlook usually looks like a game of Tetris, with back-to-back meetings, double bookings, etc. It was actually quite energizing for me last week, because the meetings were on wildly divergent topics covering lots of areas. Side note: This scheduling [...]

Things for the DIY programmer to consider

By Jim MacLennan ⋅ March 14, 2005 ⋅ Post a comment

Things for the DIY programmer to consider Another thought-provoking post on Thinking Faster – he sounds like my business doppelganger … When considering the option to build vs. buy, or at least involve corporate IT and/or experienced developers, most folks with a business background miss some key considerations about their approach: Is robust multi-user required? [...]

Does IT make you productive (or, are you an existentialist or a fatalist)?

By Jim MacLennan ⋅ February 26, 2005 ⋅ Post a comment

Interesting article in Thinking Faster, just getting around to capturing my comments … On Requirements “The first reason that business folks don’t get what they need from IT is because they aren’t sure what they want” The fundamental challenge of capturing and managing knowledge – it’s much easier to understand something than it is to [...]

Requirements

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