General Questions on SDLC Flashcards
What tools have you used for Requirements Management?
I like documenting my requirements in Word and Excel documents, although I had some projects where we had to document use stories directly in the JIRA board. I also heavily rely on the UML to diagram the processes to bring better clarity.
What tools have you used for UML Modeling?
I mainly use MS Visio, but also used LicidChart and Visual Paradigm
We don’t have any tools in our team- how would you be able to
manage your requirements?
All I really need is the MS Office, including the MS Visio for UML, and I’ll be fine.
Name different types of SDLC models that you worked with?
I have experience in
Ø Waterfall,
Ø Iterative Development, and
Ø Agile Development (Scrum)
Tell me your experience in Waterfall development process
As the Waterfall method usually requires extensive planning and documentation I start off with the high level project definition and scope, and then develop more detailed requirements within the low level documentation.
Based on the project priorities, my documentation would vary but usually I would prepare the Vision and Scope document, Business Requirements Document, System Requirements, and the System Design Document.
Once requirements are baselined, the development team would start programming, and testing team would start writing the test cases. Once the development and testing is completed, the product gets deployed to UAT where I manage the UAT process with the
client.
Tell me your experience in Iterative development process
In my experience with iterative life cycle I don’t attempt to start a full specification of requirements. Instead, I start by identifying the major requirements first and then iteratively enhance the evolving functionalities with each upcoming build release, until the full system is implemented. The basic idea behind this method is to develop a
system through repeated cycles (iterative) and in smaller portions at a time (incremental).
My iterative project had iterations deployed within 2-3 months apart
What are main differences between Waterfall and Agile development
processes?
Ø The main difference is the backward scalability in Agile. Under waterfall approach it is fairly difficult to change the decisions and implementations that we had made under the previous stages.
Ø The flexibility to error check under any part of the development stage makes Agile more bug free and less invalid as compared to Waterfall which can only test bugs at the end of the development module.
Ø Waterfall is very process oriented, and requires thorough documentation of each phase of the SDLC. Agile, on the other hand has much less documentation which in some cases is a major setback.
What is the first thing you do, when assigned to the project.
The first thing I do when assigned to a project is to define the project Definition and Scope. I confirm if there is existing Context or Use Case Diagram that describes the project outline. If not- I tackle that first.
Once I complete these high level project definition artifacts, I continue with more detailed business requirements analysis and documentation.
What questions should you ask to grasp a project definition and
scope?
Ø When I approach a new project, I like to ask a series of questions to really nail down the project’s definition and scope. First and foremost, I want to know, “What’s the purpose of the end result?” This gives me a clear understanding of the project’s ultimate goal.
Ø Next, I dig into the problems that need solving. So, I ask, “What problems are we trying to resolve?” It’s essential to identify the pain points and challenges that the project aims to tackle.
Ø I also like to be forward-thinking. So, I ask, “What opportunities are we looking to seize?” This helps me explore potential areas for improvement or growth within the project.
Ø Then, I want to get a good grip on the project’s boundaries, so I ask, “What’s the project’s scope?” This ensures everyone’s on the same page regarding what’s in and out of scope.
Ø And last but not least, I check if there are any interactions with other systems. So, I inquire, “Does this project interface with other systems?” This is crucial for understanding potential dependencies and integration points.
By covering these questions, I can make sure I have a comprehensive understanding of the project’s definition and scope, which is key for a successful project outcome.
How do you prepare for the JAD session?
First I review all available documentation about the project (Context or Use Case Diagrams, other related documentation like Project Charter and Vision and Scope documents). I discuss the project with project manager, developers, other BAs on the team. I also learn who are the stakeholders of the project. Once I have solid understanding of high level project definition and scope, I setup the JAD session interviews.
How do you identify the appropriate stakeholders for the project?
To get a better understanding on stakeholder role and level of involvement I use the stakeholder analysis template (RACI) as a checklist to help consider all the appropriate stakeholders and to be more precise about what knowledge they need to contribute to the project.
How does your day go by as a BA? Your day to day responsibilities?
My typical day starts with checking email to make sure there are no urgent issues to be addressed and if there are any feedbacks on the previous proposals. As a Scrum Master I run the scrum meeting at 10:00 AM and then go through the priority list defined by the
business units, start working on the high priorities enhancement/defects. On the planning day I run the planning meeting, record the completed task and estimate the new tasks (we use story points for estimation). Based on the planning estimates we sign up for tasks to be completed that week, finally I inform the business units of the outcome of the meeting. Some part of my day also goes in mentoring other BA within the team, peer reviewing their proposal and making sure the standards and protocols are followed.
What do you do if Product owner does not like the product?
It’s very important to create acceptance criteria for the final product, the one that’s based on the BRD. If the client is not happy, then I’ll work to understand the reasons and communicate those to developers so they can make the necessary changes. My solution is to constantly communicate with the client throughout the development and testing of the requirements.
How do you know that you have a complete requirement?
I have a common understanding and buy in of the requirements from the end users and the technical team. The stakeholders must sign off on the requirements.
In your current project and in the past which project was a success, meaning without issues, and how do you determine that?
I recently completed an enterprise-wide project as a senior BA that successfully achieved all its objectives. The client was very happy with the results and all stakeholders agreed the project was executed very efficiently and implemented with no negative impact on the organization’s regular operations. The best part is that the project had been attempted twice before but had failed and been aborted both times.
In order to avoid the same fate as the previous failures, I first analyzed and understood the reasons why they failed and learn what needs to change in order to succeed. After many conversations with business and technical staff, I learned that the main reason for failure was wrong technology that was selected that limited system integration with the third party vendor. We reorganized the change, adjusted the framework, and used my skills to ultimately bring the project to a successful close.
