Facts Findings Techniques

7/23/2019 Facts Findings Techniques

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Saqib Javed

Facts fndings techniques

Fact-fnding is the formal process of using techniques such asinterviews and questionnaires to collect facts about systems,

requirements, and preferences. Fact-nding is particularlycrucial to the early stages of the database system development lifecycle including the database planning, system denition,and requirements collection and analysis stages. There are twomain documents created during the requirements collectionand analysis stage, namely the users’ requirementsspecifcation and the systems specifcation. The users’requirements specifcation describes in detail the data to beheld in the database and how the data is to be used. The

systems specifcation describes any features to be includedin the database system such as the performance and securityrequirements.

Examining documentation

Examining documentation can be useful when we are trying togain some insight as to how the need for a database arose. emay also nd that documentation can help to provideinformation on the part of the enterprise associated with the

problem. !f the problem relates to the current system, thereshould be documentation associated with that system. "yexamining documents, forms, reports, and les associated withthe current system, we can quic#ly gain some understanding of the system. For example documentation which describescurrent system such as various types of $owcharts anddiagrams, data dictionary, program documentation,user%training manuals etc. &r documentation that describes the

part of the enterprise a'ected by problem such asorgani(ational chart, mission statement, and strategic plan ofthe enterprise.

Interviewing

!nterviewing is the most commonly used, and normally most

useful, fact-nding technique. e can interview to collect

information from individuals face-to-face. There can be several

ob)ectives to using interviewing, such as nding out facts,

verifying facts, clarifying facts, generating enthusiasm, getting

the end-user involved, identifying requirements, and gatheringideas and opinions. *owever, using the interviewing technique



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requires good communication s#ills for dealing e'ectively with

people who have di'erent values, priorities, opinions,

motivations, and personalities. +s with other fact-nding

techniques, interviewing is not always the best method for all

situations.

Advantages• an motivate interviewee to respond freely.

• ore feedbac# can be probed.

• +llows interviewer to adapt or re-word questions during

interview.

isadvantages• ery time-consuming and costly, and therefore may be

impractical

• /uccess is dependent on communication s#ills of

interviewer.

• /uccess can be dependent on willingness of interviewees

to participate in interviews.

!uestionnaires +nother fact-nding technique is to conduct surveys through

questionnaires. 0uestionnaires are special-purpose documentsthat allow facts to be gathered from a large number of peoplewhile maintaining some control over their responses. There aretwo types of questions that can be as#ed in a questionnaire,namely free format and xed-format. Free-"ormat questions o'er the respondent greater freedomin1roviding answers. + question is as#ed and the respondentrecords the answer in the space provided after the question.

Fixed-"ormat questions require specic responses fromindividuals. 2iven any question, the respondent must choosefrom the available answers. This ma#es the results much easier to tabulate. &n the other hand, the respondent cannot provideadditional information that might prove valuable.

Advantages

an be answered quic#ly.

• 3elatively inexpensive way to gather data from a large

number of people.



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• 1eople more li#ely to provide the real facts as responses

can be #ept condential.

• 3esponses can be tabulated and analysed quic#ly

isadvantages 4umber of respondents can be low.

0uestionnaires may be returned incomplete.

• ay not provide an opportunity to adapt or re-word

questions that have been misinterpreted.

• annot observe and analyse the respondent5s body

language.

#bserving enterprise in operation&bservation is one of the most e'ective fact-nding techniques

for understanding a system. ith this technique, it is possibleto either participate in, or watch, a person perform activities tolearn about the system. This technique is particularly usefulwhen the validity of data collected through other methods is inquestion or when the complexity of certain aspects of thesystem prevents a clear explanation by the end-users. +s withthe other fact-nding techniques, successful observationrequires preparation. To ensure that the observation issuccessful, it is important to #now as much about the

individuals and the activity to be observed as possible. Advantages• +llows the validity of facts and data to be chec#ed.

• &bserver can see exactly what is being done.

• 3elatively inexpensive.

• &bserver can do wor# measurements.

isadvantages• 1eople may #nowingly or un#nowingly perform di'erently

when being observed.

• ay miss observing tas#s involving di'erent levels of

di6culty or volume normally experienced during that time period.

• /ome tas#s may not always be performed in the manner in

which they are observed.

• ay be impractical.

$esearch + useful fact-nding technique is to research the application

and problem. omputer trade )ournals, reference boo#s, andthe !nternet 7including user groups and bulletin boards8 are



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good sources of information. They can provide information onhow others have solved similar problems, plus whether or notsoftware pac#ages exist to solve or even partially solve the

problem.

Advantages

an save time if solution already exists.

• 3esearcher can see how others have solved similar

problems or met similar requirements.

• 9eeps researcher up to date with current developments.

isadvantages• 3equires access to appropriate sources of !nformation.

• ay ultimately not help in solving problem because problem is not documented elsewhere.

Facts Findings Techniques

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