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Team Skill 1 - Analyzing the Problem Continued and Product Features and Challenges

Sriram Mohan

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Outline

The five steps in problem analysis Business modeling System engineering issues

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Problem Analysis

“ the process of understanding real world problems, user needs and proposing solutions to meet those needs”

“ problem is defined as the difference between things perceived and things desired”

Not every problem needs a new solution

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The Five Steps in Problem Analysis

1. Gain agreement on the problem

2. Understand the root causes

3. Identify the stakeholders

4. Define the solution system boundary

5. Identify the constraints imposed on the solution

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Step 1: Identify Stakeholders

“ anyone who can be marginally affected by the implementation of a new system or application”

Who are the users? Who is the customer? Who else will be affected? Who will approve the system? Who will maintain the system?

Who else cares?

Team Work

As a team try to identify stakeholders for our sample project. I will be the client as far as the sample project is concerned, you can question me for 5 minutes and at the end of 10 minutes, type in your answers in a word document and turn it in using Angel (Lessons – Week 01 – Day 02 – Stakeholder Drop Box)

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Step 2: Agree on the Problem

Write the problem statement

A problem statement is the problem to be solved, written in a standardized format

It helps to know the benefits the proposed system will offer from a customers perspective.

There may be more than one statement.

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One Format for Problem Statements

The problem of: A description of the problem solved by the system Affects: The people affected by this new system And results in: The impact of the problem on stake-holders Solution Benefits: Indicate the solution and list a few benefits

Elevator Statement

According to Wikipedia

In business jargon an elevator statement (or elevator pitch) is a

short concise and compelling statement

about a business or a business situation that can be delivered in the time it takes for an imaginary elevator ride.

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Team Work

Download the template from Angel. (Lesson – Week 2 – Day 2). Once you are done drafting the problem statement and the elevator statement, turn it back in using Angel (Lesson – Week 01 – Day 02 – Problem Statement Drop Box). You have 10 minutes.

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Step 3: Find Root Causes

How do you find problems and their causes? Don’t Assume

“ ask and ask again ”

Fishbone or Ishikawa (Kaoru Ishikawa) diagrams

Problem in head of fish Draw major bones for

different aspects or viewpoints

Draw causes as smaller bones (recursively)

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An Example Fishbone Diagram

LousyMeals

Same old

every day

Lous

yco

oksToo

far f

rom

supp

liers

Lousykitchen

Poor education

Poor attitude

Have

to g

et

up e

arly

Under

paid

Tool for Drawing Fish Bone Diagrams

http://www.classtools.net/main_area/fishbone.htm

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Step 4: Define Boundaries

“define the boundary between the solution and the real world”

Draw a picture:

Solution system is a black box in the middle of the picture Users of the software are shown Systems that interact with the solution are also shown

Users and interacting systems are collectively known as “Actors”

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Here Are Some Actors

Source: Rose-Hulman Drama Club website

Actors Can Also Be SomethingRather Than Someone

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Some Questions to ask

Who will supply, use or remove information from the system?

Who will operate the system? Who will perform system maintenance? Where will the system be used? Where does the system get its information? What other external systems will interact with this system?

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Step 5: Identify Constraints

“ A restriction on the degree of freedom we have in providing a solution”

Frequently-Used Constraint Classifications

Economics Politics Technology Existing Systems Environment Schedule and Resources

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Two Domain-Specific Problem Analysis Techniques

Business Modeling

Information Systems/IT domain Systems Engineering

Embedded systems domain