Giving Good Requirements: Key Insights From the Northwest Arkansas Chapter’s Event and AGM

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect the perspectives of IIBA.     

On October 15, 2024, the Northwest Arkansas Chapter hosted a virtual event, combining innovation, insight, and community leadership. The session spotlighted Colleen Cristarella, IIBA Northwest Arkansas’ VP of Marketing, who shared her journey of transforming communication and processes between business and IT teams.

Coupled with the chapter’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), it was a day to remember for attendees seeking to improve collaboration and efficiency in their organizations. Here’s a quick recap.

Annual General Meeting Highlights

The AGM kicked off the event, allowing members to come together and vote on proposed bylaw revisions and celebrate the chapter’s accomplishments over the past year. The meeting served as a reminder of the importance of strong governance and collaboration, setting the stage for the insightful presentation that followed.

The Main Event: Giving Good Requirements

In the main event of the evening, Colleen Cristarella delivered a talk on how her team at Simmons Foods tackled common challenges in communication and requirements elicitation between IT and business partners.

Her experiment, called “Giving Good Requirements,” introduced agile principles and a refreshed intake process already showing impressive results. Colleen’s approach addressed familiar pain points many organizations face:

• Misaligned expectations: Business partners often don’t understand the technical complexities of seemingly simple requests
• Communication gaps: IT and business teams sometimes feel like they’re on opposing sides
• “How” is prioritized over “why”: Solutions are requested without a clear understanding of the underlying problems

By conducting a 45-minute session with business stakeholders, Colleen’s team was able to:

• Empower business partners to articulate their needs through user stories
• Illuminate the importance of the “why” behind requests, creating opportunities for more effective alternative solutions
• Promote transparency in intake and prioritization processes, leading to better relationships and more informed decision-making
  
  

Takeaways

Participants left the session with these insights to bring back to their teams:

• User stories are powerful tools. They help bridge the gap between business goals and technical execution.
• Asking “why” can be transformative. Understanding the root cause of a request fosters innovation and ensures resources are used effectively.
• Transparency builds trust. Open communication about processes and priorities strengthens partnerships across the organization.
  
  

Looking Ahead

The IIBA Northwest Arkansas Chapter continues to provide opportunities for members to learn, grow, and connect. Whether through regular presentations like “Giving Good Requirements” or governance meetings like the AGM, the chapter is committed to supporting its members in advancing their skills and careers.

If you missed the October 15 event, don’t worry! Consult the chapter’s event calendar for future events that promise to deliver valuable insights and foster meaningful connections with like-minded business analysis professionals.

Mark your calendars, and we’ll see you at the next Northwest Arkansas Chapter event!

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