[.ca] Requirements by Collaboration: Workshops for Defining Needs (ISBN 0201786060)

It's proving its worth:
A good book is one that gives me a few ideas that help me do my job better. A great book is one that I find myself turning to over and over. I can tell that this is a great book because my copy is getting worn out. I've learned more from it than anything else I've read in the last several years about software requirements and I continue to refer to it. Sometimes I find a particular technique to help with the task at hand, and sometimes I reread a section in light of my recent experience on a project and learn something more subtle. Even if you aren't using the facilitated workshop approach to requirements, this book is still very useful. I refer over and over to its collection of different requirements models and how they relate to one another. There are other books that give a much more thorough treatment of a particular tool (Cockburn's Applying Use Cases for example) but none I've seen that tie it all together so well and help you pick the right analysis tools for the job. If you like this book, be sure to visit Ellen's web site, www.ebgconsulting.com. The Resources section has many checklists and templates that go beyond the material in the book and can save you a lot of time when preparing a requirements workshop. I'm surprised that only eight people (as of December 2003) have read and reviewed this. It's way better than that.

Use in MBA Technology-Based Project Management Course:
This is a must read for anyone trying to create a collaborative project management environment. The website support was exceptional and the description of workshop tools, concepts and approaches should help any project team (technology or other) stay focused on the customer and the business requirements. I used it very successfully to teach a Project Management class for Technology Management MBA students and found it to be very crucial for the study and practice of collaborative work efforts. Practitioners might also consider formal facilitation training to assure success. (David Spann, MBA Director, Westminster College, Utah & Assessor for the IAF Professional Facilitator Certificate, 801-832-2655.)

Must read for anyone in the requirements process.:
I do not work in software requirements, but this book is the best hands on guide for developing good requirements that I have found. It will guide you step by step on how to run your own workshop. Even if you only participate in a workshop, this book will help you to be a better contributer.

Excellent book on collaborating for requirements gathering.:
Excellent book on defining software needs. Easy to read with excellent advice and practical applications.

Essential read for requirements analysts:
There is not a great deal of literature on how to capture requirements effectively, and none that presents a workshop based approach like this. Requirements by Collaboration represents a useful contribution to the field. It's easy to read, provides useful insight into any requirements collection project, and is easy to apply. Determining whether workshops are right for your situation can be a tough call (and the book provides some guidelines early on), but if you do decide to conduct such a workshop, then this is a must read.