Sign off technical requirements

Overview

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You should already know about compiling business needs and determining technical requirements. This resource should assist you with securing sign off for technical requirements and solutions within an information technology setting.

In this topic you will learn how to:

  • forward technical requirements and solution overview to the appropriate person for feedback
  • analyse feedback and incorporate change as required
  • document changes and distribute to the appropriate person

This topic contains:

  • reading notes
  • activities
  • references
  • a topic quiz.

As you work through the reading notes you will be directed to activities that will help you practise what you are learning. The topic also includes references to aid further learning and a topic quiz to check your understanding.

Download a print version of this whole topic: Sign offtechnical requirements (103 KB 2837.doc)

Reading notes

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The last stage of developing technical requirements involves the validation of requirements, incorporation of any changes to requirements and obtaining the final signoff.

Evaluation of requirements

The technicalrequirementsdocument is an important document since it describes exactly what will be produced. It is used to establish agreement between the developer and the client about the scope, functionality and performance of the system. Evaluation and validation of specifications as early as possible keeps the cost of developing the system to a minimum since it is easier to change requirements before the system is developed rather than after.

Scope document

The aim of the scopedocument is to identify, control and justify the proposed solution. This document is sometimes called a concept brief or project proposal. In an IT environment, typically the project manager or developer will prepare the scope document after consultation with the client and the project team. It should contain most - if not all - of the information that will form the project contract. Data gathered in the needs analysis can also be found here, even if on many projects this may already be documented as a needs report.

The scope document should clearly specify the milestones and sign-off points, including possible points and conditions for revisions to the budget and schedules. A timeframe should be included in the document, but a full timeline that has agreed delivery dates may not necessarily be part of the document at this stage. This can depend on the size and complexity of the project.

As part of the scope, there must be clear agreement on issues such as reporting, documentation, evaluation, change and testing and delivery requirements. This defines in quantitative terms how the client and the developer will work together and how - through the process of sign-offs - a mutual end agreement will be reached. This means that in the end the appropriate product has been built in the agreed way and via the agreed strategies outlined in the scope document.

Activity 1

To practise scoping documentation, complete Activity 1 – Scope,located in the Activitiessection of the Topic menu.

Incorporation of changes

After the initial technical requirements document is developed, the client checks it to ensure it meets expectations and provides feedback accordingly. Depending on the feedback and the size of the change, the changes may need to be incorporated into the requirements definition and negotiated between the parties until an agreement is reached.

Sign-off

When the client signs off on this document, it provides a formal agreement between the client and the developer of the system.

As it is common that business conditions, technologies and human resources often change through the process of development, the client or developer may wish to include a statement on the limitations of the sign-off document.

This would contain

  • the purpose of the limitations attachment
  • how the statement of limitations should be used
  • the time period to which the limitations apply
  • assumptions from both perspectives
  • how the project is to deal with any new features, functionality or content which were introduced after the original sign off
  • future hardware options.

Risks

One of the major hurdles that IT professionals face is to deliver products and solutions when technology and/or the business goals or conditions move.

For example, often a project will be delayed because of risk factors such as

  • funding freezes
  • new staff (eg main contacts leave or relocate to other positions) and the documentation process in some cases needs to recommence
  • new IT system policies are put in place
  • business restructures
  • negative stock market activity
  • reliance on other departments to complete work (eg serverdepartments)
  • business mergers
  • change of governments or laws
  • loss of ‘skilled up’ development team members
  • IR (industrial relations) issues (eg strikes, stoppages, etc.).

All of these are risks that can affect the delivery date. It is vital that a clause is entered in the sign-off documentation to protect the IT solutions provider or client from changes that may not be their fault.

Any changes to requirements after sign off are subject to a change control procedure. A change control procedure is established to manage any identified changes to requirements and other project stages. The change control process should be described in the project quality plan.

Activity 2

To practise sign off, complete Activity 2 – Sign off, located in the Activities section of the Topic menu.

Acknowledgement: The above material is sourced from the Information Technology E-Commerce Toolbox 906 © Commonwealth of Australia 2006.

Activities

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Activity 1 – Scope

Write a paper discussing the importance [Barry1]of scope documentation and how it affects the sign-off process. In the paper list five items that you feel are vital to include as a statement of limitations.

Feedback

The aim of the scope document is to identify, control and justify the proposed solution.The scope document should clearly specify the milestones and sign-off points, including possible points and conditions for revisions to the budget and schedules.This means that in the end the appropriate product has been built in the agreed way and via the agreed strategies outlined in the scope document.

Possible statements of limitation to include are

  • funding freezes
  • new staff (eg main contact leaves or moves departments) and the documentation process in some cases needs to recommence
  • new IT system policies are put in place after the initial agreement is achieved
  • business restructures
  • negative stock market activity
  • relying on others to perform work
  • unforseen software compatibility issues
  • delays in hardware supply.

Activity 2 – Sign off

Log onto the web and search for IT sign-off documents or checklists. Share these with your class and assemble the ones that you feel best suit your work environment. Make a note of those that you thought applied to your own work.[Barry2]

Feedback

It may be a good idea to copy the sign-off documents or checklists you found on the Internet to a CD or USB storage device for later use when you are looking for ideas in a real-life situation.

References

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Print

There is no specific text for this topic. The following list contains some suggested texts and manuals only. There are many software manuals, reference books and user guides available from libraries, bookshops, CD- ROMS, or on the Internet. Ensure that the manuals used are written for the version of the software being used.

Note that many textbooks only cover the technical issues of a topic and do not discuss client user relationships. Techniques to improve client and team communication may be found in books on management techniques and interpersonal skills.

DeWit B and Meyer R (2004) Strategy – Process, Content, Context: An international perspective(3rd ed), Thomson Learning,Australia

Emmelhainz MA (1993) EDI: A totalmanagement guide, Van Nostrand Reinhold,New York

Schwalbe K (2000) Information Technology Project Management, Course Technology,Australia

Shelley, Cashman and Rosenblatt (2003) Systems Analysis and Design(5thed), Course Technology,Australia

Topic quiz

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This quiz will help you review the content you have learned in this topic.

Answer the questions, check the feedback at the end of each question and take note of the areas you need to learn more about.

1. Answer True or False:

It is unwise to produce a sign-off document at the end of the project as this could mean that additional requirements are requested.

Feedback

Correct! This statement is True! Producing a sign off document at the end could mean that additional requirements are requested.

Incorrect. This statement is not false – it’s True! It is unwise to produce a sign-off document at the end of the project as this could mean that additional requirements are requested.

2. Answer True or False:

A sign-off contract is usually regarded as a formal agreement between the developer and the client.

Feedback

Correct! This statement is True! A sign off contract is usually regarded as a formal agreement between the developer and the client.

Incorrect. This statement is not false – it’s True! Go to the Reading notes and review the section on Sign-off.

3. Can the scope and sign-off documents change after the project has commenced?

Yes. If both parties agree to the change(s).

Yes. If both parties agree to the change(s) and change control procedures are followed.

No.

Feedback

Correct! The scope and sign-off documents can change if both parties agree to the change(s) and control procedures are followed.

Incorrect. Go to the Reading notes and review the section on Sign-off.

2836.doc: © State of New South Wales, Department of Education and Training, 20061

Developed by the Centre for Learning Innovation (CLI) for the TAFE Online Project, TAFE NSW

[Barry1] teachers notes add an extension to this activity - in pairs students develop a comprehensive and customisable template for a scope document. Post it to the course forum and compare their work with others. Teacher debriefs the activity by highlighting the common things that need to be in such a template.

[Barry2] add teachers note on how to run this as a "Scavenger hunt" activity, including posting of findings on forum and what the teacher should do in the activity debrief