Document analysis

Definition

Document analysis is the process of systematically reviewing and evaluating documents to extract relevant information, identify patterns, and understand the context of the data. This technique plays a critical role in requirements gathering, as it allows analysts to derive insights from existing documentation, ensuring that stakeholder needs are accurately captured and addressed in system development.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Document analysis can include various types of documents such as business plans, reports, emails, and user manuals, all of which provide valuable context for understanding requirements.
2. By analyzing documents, analysts can uncover discrepancies between existing processes and user expectations, leading to more accurate requirement specifications.
3. This method helps in identifying historical decisions made within an organization, giving insight into why certain requirements are in place.
4. Document analysis is often used in conjunction with other requirements-gathering techniques, such as interviews and surveys, to provide a comprehensive understanding of stakeholder needs.
5. The findings from document analysis can reveal gaps in information or requirements that need further exploration through direct stakeholder engagement.

Review Questions

• How does document analysis complement other techniques used in requirements gathering?
  • Document analysis enhances other techniques by providing a foundational understanding of existing processes and user needs. While interviews and surveys may reveal current expectations and desires from stakeholders, document analysis offers historical context and evidence that can validate or challenge these insights. This combination ensures a thorough approach to accurately capturing all necessary requirements.
• Discuss the importance of document analysis in identifying discrepancies between existing processes and user expectations.
  • Document analysis is crucial for uncovering inconsistencies between documented processes and what users actually expect or experience. By systematically reviewing relevant documents, analysts can identify where documented procedures do not align with user needs or operational realities. This insight helps to ensure that any new systems developed address real issues rather than merely automating existing flaws.
• Evaluate the potential limitations of relying solely on document analysis for requirements gathering and how they can be mitigated.
  • Relying solely on document analysis can lead to incomplete requirements as it may not capture the latest stakeholder needs or evolving business contexts. Documents may also be outdated or biased based on previous conditions. To mitigate these limitations, it’s essential to combine document analysis with active stakeholder engagement techniques like interviews and workshops. This ensures that both historical insights and current needs are integrated into the requirements gathering process.

Related terms

Requirements Elicitation: The process of actively engaging stakeholders to gather their needs and expectations for a system, which can complement document analysis.

Stakeholder Analysis: The identification and assessment of stakeholders involved in a project to understand their influence, interests, and impact on the requirements gathering process.

Use Case: A description of how users will interact with a system to achieve specific goals, often informed by insights gained from document analysis.