Closer Look: Requirements Management and Communication Knowledge Area

The business analyst performs five tasks as part of the Requirements Management and Communication knowledge area, which are:

• Managing the solution scope and requirements
• Managing requirements traceability
• Maintaining requirements for re-reuse
• Preparing requirements packages
• Communicating the requirements

These tasks focus on making sure that your project stakeholders have a common and consistent understanding of the requirements and the solution that the requirements are defining. The business analyst is responsible for packaging and presenting a set of requirements to the appropriate stakeholder group as well as managing the requirements as they change across the project life cycle.

The tasks in this knowledge area begin as soon as the requirements development work begins for a project. They accompany the work being done in any knowledge area that develops requirements: Enterprise Analysis, Requirements Analysis, and Solution Assessment and Validation. Effective business analysts make sure that their requirements-related communication activities take place across the project life cycle.

Several key business analysis deliverables influence and guide managing and communicating your project requirements. These plans were created as part a different knowledge area, Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring. The three key plans that drive your requirements and business analysis communication and management activities are:

• Business analysis communication plan
• Business analysis approach
• Requirements management plan

Heads up that about 24 of your 150 exam questions focus specifically on the tasks found in the Requirements Management and Communication knowledge area. The questions will drill down into the inputs, outputs, elements, techniques and nuances that are part of the five tasks listed here.

Happy studies!

Susan