Do you have a good idea of what the true user requirements are for your business or organisation? Do you have a clear set of aims in mind and a way to measure whether you’ve been successful in delivering them?
If you’re not crystal clear about the answers, a user requirements analysis may be in order.
We think so. Failing to understand the needs of your users is a surefire way to waste time and money, and could even put the success of your project at risk. We’ve worked with enough project managers to know that this is the last thing anyone wants.
Whether you work with engineers, safety assessment specialists or business analysts – or if you handle any of these roles yourself – it’s important to incorporate human factors considerations in your new and existing projects.
Here are the times when user requirements analysis is useful:
We’ll take our knowledge of industry standards and comparable product benchmarks to help you define the requirements and pain points for your project, and guide you on the appropriate acceptance criteria.
We recommend conducting user requirements analysis as early as possible, usually as part of the project requirements specification stage.
This is because the user requirements provide the foundation for the design and development of a product or system that meets the needs and goals of its target audience.
By conducting user requirements analysis early on, designers and engineers can gather insights into the motivations, preferences, and limitations of the customer base they are designing for. This can include factors such as cognitive abilities, physical capabilities, communication preferences, and work habits. Understanding these factors can help designers create products that are easy and intuitive to use, efficient, and safe.
In practice, it can be done later, when it’s realised that human factors input is needed.
As with most things, thinking ahead will save you time, money and hassle. But if you’re in the middle of a project and need help now, get in touch and we’ll do our best to assist.
User requirements and assumptions (both operability and safety) will need to undergo design review, to help ensure your product or service is fit for use and meets all relevant human-related safety requirements.
Defining user requirements can be a challenging process, and there are several common problems that can arise. Some of these problems include:
To overcome these problems, it is important to follow best practices for defining user requirements. Some of these best practices include:
We also have a guide on the Affinity Diagramming method.
Yes, user requirements analysis is still relevant on Agile product development. User stories still need to be written and in line with target customer needs.
In fact, user requirements analysis can be even more important in Agile development, as it helps to ensure that the development team is building the right product and that it is meeting the needs of its intended users.
This is where the “sprint zero” approach comes in. During this initial phase of a project, the team can set up the infrastructure and prepare for upcoming sprints while also conducting user research and needs analysis.
Our team of Human Factors Engineers can assist you in integrating user research and needs analysis into sprint zero. We use various methods such as surveys, field studies, interviews, and focus groups to gather feedback and data from users. Our team then analyses this data to identify user needs, goals, and pain points. We can also help develop user personas and use cases.
Conducting user research and needs analysis during sprint zero ensures that the upcoming sprints focus on building a product that meets user needs. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to identify potential usability testing issues early in the development process, saving time and resources down the line. During sprint zero, our team can work with your team to define the product vision and roadmap based on the valuable insights gathered from user research and needs analysis. This ensures that system development is aligned with customer experience goals and is developed in a user-centred manner.
Whether your project works on Agile or on other principles and frameworks, we can help you understand your user requirements. With our expert team’s guidance, you’ll have a better chance of obtaining competitive advantage and customer satisfaction.
To find out more about how we can help your projects succeed, email info@liv-systems.com and we’ll call you back for a free consultation about your needs.
Tel: +44 117 4711766
Email: info@liv-systems.com
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