Jan 10 2008
Handle non-functional requirement in agile project
I was recently asked by a customer of how to manage non-functional requirement in agile project. After discussing with Jeff Xiong, we figured out an idea.
Based on Jeff’s opinion, any question in agile project could be analyzed in this way:
- Clarify your target;
- Brainstorming;
- Find options;
- Analysis these options from different angles;
- Make a guideline;
- Create verification method/frequency;
- Separate them into small units and track.
As we know non-functional requirement varies from one by one. Basically there are two types of them.
- Can be regard as functional requirement(such as usability, localization and etc)
- Can not be regard as functional requirement (such as performance, design requirement, integration requirement and etc)
For those can be regard as functional one, YES, treat them as functional requirement and describe them as stories.
For the others, write a non-functional requirement story for it. An story card template was list below.
There are six basic rules you should think of before you make a non-functional requirement card.
- Who wants it
- What they want to achieve
- Why it’s valuable
- Relative priority
- How you would be confident that it’s been done or how to verify
- Could it be a “function”?
After you have a clear idea of the questions that I list above, you will be ready to develop an non-functional story card.
Bear in mind, verification method/frequency is the core of this card. Guideline indicate the way of complete the story successfully.
See it is manageable and traceable.
