ELICITATION AND COLLABORATION
Elicitation is the drawing forth or receiving of information from stakeholders
or other sources. It
Is the main path to discovering requirements and design information, and
might involve talking
With stakeholders directly, researching topics, experimenting, or simply
being handed
Information.
Collaboration is the act of two or more people working together towards a
common goal.
The Elicitation and Collaboration knowledge area describes how business
analysts identify and
Reach agreement on the mutual understanding of all types of business
analysis information.
Elicitation and collaboration work is never a ‘phase’ in business analysis;
rather, it is ongoing as
Long as business analysis work is occurring.
The Elicitation and Collaboration knowledge area is composed of the
following:
1. Prepare for elicitation
2. Conduct elicitation
3. Confirm elicitation results
4. Communicate business analysis information
5. Manage stakeholder collaboration
1. PREPARE FOR ELICITATION
To understand the scope of the elicitation activity, select appropriate
techniques, and plan for (or
Procure) appropriate supporting materials and resources.
INPUTS
● Needs: guides the preparation in terms of the scope and purpose of
elicitation activities.
Elicitation can be used to discover the needs, but in order to get started
there must be
Some need that exists—even if it has not yet been fully elicited or
understood.
● Stakeholder Engagement Approach: understanding stakeholders’
communication and
Collaboration needs helps plan and prepare appropriate and effective
elicitation events.
ELEMENTS
1. Understand the scope of the elicitation, determine and consider the:
a. Business domain
b. Overall corporate structure and environment
c. Stakeholder locations
d. Stakeholders who are involved and their group dynamics
e. Strategy or solution approach
f. Scope of future solution, and
g. Possible sources of business analysis information that might feed
into the
Specific elicitation activity.
2. Select elicitation techniques. The techniques used depend on cost and
time constraints,
The types of business analysis information sources and their
access, the culture of the
Organization, and the desired outcomes. The business analyst
may also factor in the
Needs of the stakeholders, their availability, and their location
(co-located or dispersed).
Choosing the right techniques and ensuring each technique is
performed correctly is
Extremely important to the success of the elicitation activity.
When selecting elicitation
Techniques, business analysts consider:
a. Techniques commonly used in similar initiatives
b. Techniques specifically situated to the situation, and
c. The tasks needed to prepare, execute, and complete each
technique.
3. Set up logistics. Logistics are planned prior to an elicitation activity,
The logistics for each
Elicitation activity include identifying:
a. The activity’s goals
b. Participants and their roles
c. Scheduled resources, including people, rooms, and tools
d. Locations
e. Communication channels
f. Techniques; and
g. Languages used by stakeholders (oral or written).
4. Secure supporting material. Business analysts identify sources of
information that are
Needed to conduct the elicitation activity. There might be a great
deal of information
Needed to conduct elicitation including people, systems,
historical data, materials and
Documents.
5. Prepare stakeholders. Explaining the purpose of elicitation to the
stakeholders is helpful
To make them understand the validity and relevance of the
information elicited.
Stakeholders may be unresponsive or challenging during an
elicitation activity if they feel
That it is not aligned to the individual objectives, don’t
understand the purpose, or are
Confused about the process.
TECHNIQUES
Brainstorming: used to collaboratively identify and reach
consensus about which
Sources of business analysis information should be consulted and
which elicitation
Techniques might be most effective.
Interviews: used to identify concerns about the planned
elicitation, and can be used to
Seek authority to proceed with specific options.
Estimation: used to estimate the time and effort required for the
elicitation and the
Associated cost.
Data Mining: used to identify information or patterns that require
further investigation.
Risk Analysis and Management: used to identify, assess, and
manage conditions or
Situations that could disrupt the elicitation, or affect the quality
and validity of the
Elicitation results. The plans for the elicitation should be adjusted
to avoid, transfer, or
Mitigate the most serious risks.
STAKEHOLDERS
Project Manager: ensures that the appropriate people and
resources are
Available to conduct the elicitation.
Domain Subject Matter Expert: provides supporting materials as
well as guidance
About which other sources of business analysis information to
consult. May also help to
Arrange research, experiments, and facilitate elicitation.
Sponsor: has the authority to approve or deny a planned
elicitation event, and to
Authorize and require the participation of specific stakeholders.
OUTPUT
Elicitation Activity Plan: used for each elicitation activity. It
includes logistics, scope of
The elicitation activity, selected techniques, and supporting
materials.
2. CONDUCT ELICITATION
The purpose of Conduct Elicitation is to draw out, explore, and
identify information relevant to
The change.
THREE COMMON TYPES OF ELICITATION
1. Collaborative
2. Research, and
3. Experiments
Collaborative
It involves direct interaction with stakeholders, and relies on their
experiences, expertise
And judgment.
