Visual Models for Software Requirements

by by Joy Beatty, Anthony Chen

Publisher: Microsoft Press
ISBN: 0735667721

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Book Description

Apply best practices for capturing, analyzing, and implementing software requirements through visual models and deliver better results for your business. The authors experts in eliciting and visualizing requirements walk you through a simple but comprehensive language of visual models that has been used on hundreds of real-world, large-scale projects. Build your fluency with core concepts and gain essential, scenario-based context and implementation advice as you progress through each chapter.

• Transcend the limitations of text-based requirements data using visual models that more rigorously identify, capture, and validate requirements
• Get real-world guidance on best ways to use visual models, how and when, and ways to combine them for best project outcomes
• Practice the book’s concepts as you work through chapters
• Change your focus from writing a good requirement to ensuring a complete system

About the Author

Joy Beatty is a vice president of research and development who develops and delivers training on requirements best practices, visual models, and methodology. She has also led numerous client projects as a requirements architect.

Anthony Chen is a requirements architect who has developed a requirements training program used internationally, and helped pioneer key requirements-modeling concepts.

Customer Reviews

Visual Models for Software Requirements looks at the process of defining requirements from a creative perspective. The premise of the book is that business requirements are not two dimensional like the typical list of "shall" statements. They're layered and multi-faceted mirroring the complexity of business requirements. This book lays out a series of diagramming techniques to help discover all of the intricacies of system flows, business data, and process flows from the level of abstract business goals to individual UI elements.

For someone who is visually minded, these diagrams can be used to plan a system from "soup to nuts." This kind of model reminded me of design thinking, usability design, and system architecture combined. There was very little that I found new, but the way models combined to present a holistic picture is fantastic. It is also an easy to book to read or reference. Each type of diagram has its own chapter with templates, examples, and pitfalls to watch out for. That makes it easy to pick and choose which models best fit your solution and find all the information you need in a concise manner.

Overall, this is a great book to have on the shelf.

This is a needed book for the industry!

There is something new to learn for everyone

If you are new to being a BA or new to structured modeling start with chapter 1, read through and do the exercises in chapters 2-24. If you are experienced with modeling, read chapter 1, then chapter 25, then the chapters in between as they drive your interest. Chapters 2- 24 are great to refresh and and learn even more about the models you may already use and some new ones to try out.

Chapter 1 is a great level setting of how business analysis for software development has changes over the years and why visuals are so important!

Chapters 2-24 are great for learning all about various models and how they make software projects successful. These chapters have great templates (also downloadable), examples and exercises to practice! My favorite is the Common Mistakes section for each model helping BAs self correct and identify when they are going down the wrong path.

Chapter 25 - Puts together which models to use when and on what types of projects, so helpful to planning for our projects!