Requirement Gathering

Using generative AI to assist requirement gathering and how requirements are related to user stories

Once your problem statement is defined, the next step is to gather requirements for the application. This could involve finding the key features and functionality required, as well as any technical constraints or limitations.

Generative AI, like ChatGPT, can play a valuable role in defining requirements for user stories, which helps streamline project planning and development. User stories are high-level descriptions of the desired functionality of a product from the perspective of a user or a customer. They describe the intended outcome but do not delve into the specifics of how that outcome will be achieved. Requirements, on the other hand, are more detailed and specific, outlining the exact features, functionality, and constraints of the system to be developed.

In the context of software development, requirements are critical for both the development team and stakeholders, as they serve as the foundation for understanding and agreeing upon the project's scope and objectives. Generative AI can assist in refining and elaborating on these requirements by providing insights, suggestions, and alternative perspectives.

Here are some examples of prompts that can be used with ChatGPT to further define business requirements:

1. "Given the user story about a customer renting a bicycle, what are some additional functional requirements that should be considered?"

2. "What non-functional requirements should be taken into account for a real-time messaging application?"

3. "Considering the user story of a bank customer transferring money between accounts, what security requirements should be in place?"

When gathering requirements, it's crucial to consider the human aspects, as these can have significant implications on the project's success. These aspects include legal, compliance, financial, and emotional requirements, which are often interrelated.

Example: Requirement considerations

Legal requirements refer to the need for the project to adhere to applicable laws and regulations. For example, a financial application must comply with data privacy laws and financial regulations. ChatGPT could be used to generate prompts or questions that help identify relevant legal concerns, such as "What are the data privacy regulations that apply to our application?"

Compliance requirements involve ensuring that the project follows industry standards, best practices, and internal policies. Examples include accessibility standards, security certifications, or corporate guidelines. ChatGPT can assist in identifying these requirements by generating prompts such as "What industry standards should our project adhere to?"

Financial requirements pertain to the budgetary constraints and financial objectives of the project. ChatGPT can help to clarify financial aspects by generating questions like "What is the estimated total cost of ownership for this project?" or "How will this project generate revenue?"

Emotional requirements focus on the user experience and the emotional impact of the product on its users. These requirements may involve user satisfaction, ease of use, or the aesthetics of the interface. ChatGPT can be employed to explore these aspects, with prompts like "How can we design the user interface to evoke a sense of trust and reliability?"

In conclusion, generative AI, like ChatGPT, can be a powerful tool in defining requirements for user stories, taking into account various aspects such as legal, compliance, financial, and emotional factors. By providing targeted prompts and generating insightful responses, generative AI can help streamline the requirement gathering process, ensuring a more robust and well-rounded foundation for project development.