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BCS Certificate in Requirements Engineering

The single most important part of building a software system is deciding precisely what to build. No other part of the conceptual work is as difficult as establishing the detailed technical requirements. No other part of the work so cripples the resulting system if done wrong. No other part is as difficult to rectify later. The inability to produce complete, correct, and unambiguous software requirements is still considered the major cause of software failure today.

 

Requirements engineering (RE) refers to the process of eliciting, defining, documenting and maintaining requirements.  It is about the use of systematic and repeatable techniques that ensure the completeness, consistency, and relevance of the system requirements.

Improved requirements management means improved project delivery. Earning the BCS Certificate in Requirements Engineering shows you have the knowledge and expertise to deliver high-quality, mission-critical products and projects.

BCS Practitioner Certificate in Requirements Engineering presents an end-to-end requirements engineering framework. From the business case to the delivery of well-documented and well-formed requirements. In addition, this course prepares you to take the BCS Requirements Engineering exam at the end of the course.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in the requirements engineering process

  • Demonstrate the application of a range requirements elicitation techniques

  • Explain the use of requirements elicitation techniques and the relevance of the techniques to given situations

  • Document and prioritise user requirements for an information system

  • Identify problems with requirements and explain how requirements documentation may be improved

  • Create a process/function model of requirements for an information system

  • Interpret a model of the data requirements for an information system

  • Explain the importance of linking project objectives and requirements to the Business Case

  • Describe the principles of Requirements Management and explain the importance of managing requirements

  • Describe the use of CASE tools to support Requirements Engineering

  • Explain the principles of Requirements Validation and define an approach to validating requirements

Who should attend

  • Requirements Engineers, Business Analysts, Software Engineers, Test Engineers, Project Managers looking to improve their hands-on requirements engineering skills.

  • Anyone seeking to develop in-depth understanding of what constitutes quality requirements.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course, but some experience on defining requirements will be useful. Delegates wishing to acquire the skill set required for analysing, documenting and managing requirements and wishing to attain the BCS Certificate in Requirements Engineering would benefit from attending this course.

Format and Material

To help assimilate the tools and techniques learned, there is a mixture of various kinds of case studies throughout the course. A lively simulation help reinforce concepts learned. There will be practice questions to prepare you for the exam.

Participants will need to be prepared for a high level of participation.

Course Contents

Rationale for requirements engineering

  • Definition of a ‘requirement’ and requirements hierarchies

  • Knowledge types

  • Requirements engineering framework: linear and Agile development

The role of the analyst

  • Stakeholders in requirements engineering

  • Roles and responsibilities

Requirements planning and management

  • Planning for requirements engineering

  • The business context and business case:  linear and Agile development

  •  Project initiation

Requirements elicitation

  • Interviews: preparing and conducting

  • Workshop: planning and facilitating; roles and responsibilities

  • Techniques to elicit information and document workshop results

Requirements elicitation – supplementary techniques

  • Observation and focus groups

  • Quantitative elicitation techniques: including surveys and document analysis

  • Scenario analysis

  • Throwaway versus evolutionary prototyping: rationale and risks

  • Suitability of elicitation techniques

Requirements analysis 

  • Organising requirements

  • Ordering and refining a backlog for Agile development

  • Assessing feasibility and aligning requirements with business goals

  • Prioritising requirements using MOSCOW

  • Checking requirements against quality criteria

  • Requirements testability and defining acceptance criteria

  • Identifying and resolving requirements conflicts

Documenting requirements

  • Types and hierarchy of requirements

  • Documentation formats: user stories, use cases and requirements catalogue

  • Applicability to linear and Agile development

Modelling requirements

  • Context diagrams

  • Modelling functions: use case diagrams for scope definition/re-definition

  • Modelling data: class models

  • Cross-checking use cases against class models

Requirements validation

  • Stakeholder responsibilities in requirements validation

  • Requirements validation in linear and Agile development

Requirements management

  • Requirements management in Agile development

    • Change through collaboration and iteration

  • Requirements management in linear development

    • Version and change control

  • Requirements traceability

  • Requirements engineering support tools

  • Requirements re-use and patterns

Delivering the requirements

  • Approaches to solution delivery

  • Linear and iterative development approaches

  • Post deployment and benefits confirmation

Exam & Certification

  • One hour, closed book

  • Multiple choice

  • Pass mark is 65% (26 out of 40)

  • Cost: INR 23,500 + GST

International Diploma in Business Analysis
The BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, offers this internationally recognized certification, enabling you to take your skills around the world. The four modules required to apply for this certification include one foundation level course, and three practitioner level courses:

  1. BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis

  2. BCS Certificate in Business Analysis Practice Training

  3. BCS Certificate in Modelling Business Processes Training

  4. BCS Certificate in Requirements Engineering Training

The International Diploma requires a 50 minute oral examination with two examiners. The questions will require you to apply your business analysis knowledge and understanding to scenarios described by the oral examiners. For additional information, write to us at contact@vellicate-tech.com

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