Requirements Validation Skill

Purpose

Ensure that the requirements are correct, complete, consistent, and actually solve the business problem before development begins. "Building the right thing" vs. "Building the thing right".

Verification vs. Validation

• Verification: "Are we building the product right?" (Does the Requirement meet quality standards?)
• Validation: "Are we building the right product?" (Does the Requirement solve the user's need?)

Key Validation Techniques

1. Peer Review / Walkthroughs

• Process: Informal or semi-formal review with colleagues (Devs, other BAs).
• Goal: Find logic errors, ambiguities, and missing edge cases.
• Checklist:
  • Is it clear?
  • Is it testable?
  • Is it feasible?

2. Stakeholder Inspections / Sign-off

• Process: Formal review with Business Owners.
• Goal: Approval to proceed.
• Method: Don't just read the doc. Walk through scenarios/examples.

3. Prototyping

• Method: Show, don't tell. Use wireframes or mockups.
• Goal: Validate UI/UX requirements. "Is this what you imagined?"

4. Acceptance Criteria Review

• Method: Review "Given-When-Then" scenarios.
• Goal: Ensure the requirement is specific enough to be tested.

Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)

Purpose

Link Requirements to their origin and downstream deliverables.

• Forward Traceability: Requirement → Design → Code → Test. (Ensures everything required is built).
• Backward Traceability: Test → Requirement → Business Goal. (Ensures no "Gold Plating" / unnecessary features).

RTM Template

Req ID	Description	Source (Stakeholder)	Business Goal	Design Doc	Test Case ID	Status
FR-01	Guest Checkout	Marketing VP	Increase Conv	DD-Checkout	TC-001, 002	Implemented
FR-02	Apple Pay	CEO	Mobile Strategy	DD-Payment	TC-005	Approved
FR-03	3D Secure	Compliance	Legal Reqs	DD-Security	TC-010	Tested

Quality Checklist (INVEST)

For User Stories:

• Independent
• Negotiable
• Valuable
• Estimable
• Small
• Testable

Handling Validation Issues

1. Ambiguity: "System must be fast."
   • Fix: "System must load in < 2s."
2. Conflict: Stakeholder A wants Blue, B wants Red.
   • Fix: Facilitate negotiation or escalate to Sponsor.
3. Incompleteness: Missing error states.
   • Fix: Ask "What happens if this fails?"

Output

• Validated Requirements Package: Clean, approved docs.
• Sign-off Artifact: Email or digital signature approving the scope.
• Updated Traceability Matrix.

Tools

• Jira (Linking Stories to Epics/Tests).
• Excel/Lark Base (RTM).
• Confluence/Lark Docs (Approvals).