Objective
Document the system requirements using a standard methodology.
The user requirements documentation provides a template for how to document system requirements in a consistent way for agreement upon by the SLG and the software developers.
Systems Requirements: Concepts
System requirements document all needs that iHRIS should address when the system is deployed. The requirements include rules to satisfy standards, regulations, or laws. The basic iHRIS software will fulfill some of these requirements, but some may require customizing the software. Agreeing on and documenting the requirements before development begins reinforces the scope of the project and provides a guide for the software developers throughout the deployment phase.
Many methodologies have been developed to document functional requirements. The simplest method is the Collaborative Requirements Development Methodology. This method will guide you through the process of defining requirements based on business processes and task flows with a group, such as the SLG.
Another method of documenting requirements is to write user stories. A user story is a short, simple description of a software feature, told from the perspective of a person who is using the system. An example of a user story is: “As a user, I can update my employee record.” Users can be further categorized into different personas, depending on their role with regard to the system. Examples of personas that would access iHRIS Manage include “HR Records Officer,” “HR Manager,” and “Decision Maker.” User stories are short and non-technical; they are meant to stimulate discussion about the requirements.
If more thorough documentation of these scenarios is required, consider writing use cases, which systematically describe how the system interacts with a user or another system, listing the steps needed to achieve specific goals. Use cases are particularly important when documenting business rules that you want to capture in iHRIS. The use cases communicate to the developers what customizations need to be made and serve as the official documentation for the stakeholders. It may require several iterations of a use case to describe a complex business process, such as renewing a contract for a new employee, and clear documentation can help avoid potential misunderstandings.
When iHRIS was initially developed, a set of use cases were written to specify what the software would do. These use cases can be modified to document customizations to iHRIS. If you need to develop an entirely new module or application for the system, you may need to write additional use cases. (See the Use Case Development Tool.)
Any standard methodology, or combination of methodologies, that works for your SLG and implementation team can be used, so long as the requirements are documented consistently and agreed to by all stakeholders.