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Contributed on March 26, 2016

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6 Tips For Closing A Requirements Elicitation Session

Blog: Business Analyst Learnings Blog

How you close a requirements elicitation session is just as important as how you open it.

A requirements elicitation session that is ended abruptly may result in stakeholders going away with unanswered questions, assumptions or an incorrect understanding of the decisions made. Concluding a requirements elicitation session effectively will ensure that everyone is on the same page about what was agreed thereby minimizing the risk of confusion, especially after numerous ideas have been thrown around.

Take note of the following tips when closing your requirements elicitation session, or any meeting you hold with stakeholders:

1. The end of the requirements elicitation session is a good time to highlight all the positive contributions made by the participants. They will feel valued if you do this, making them more likely to repeat the positive behaviour in future sessions.
2. Review the agenda to ensure that all the key topics and questions were covered. If you or any of the participants still have burning questions, you may raise them after the session or offer to schedule another meet.
3. Go over the key decisions that arose during the session. Despite the analyst’s best efforts, participants may lose track of key decisions, confuse facts or become distracted. Though the minutes of the meeting or the resulting requirements specification document should contain what has been agreed, going over the key decisions made can help in reducing the back and forth that may happen after the session. 
4. Summarise the action points that have been identified and agree on who is responsible for each. This will help to impose a sense of ownership and commitment on the relevant stakeholders.
5. Let stakeholders know that you will follow up on all the action points and issues that have been identified.  They should go away knowing that you are willing to support them as much as possible.
6. Wrap up the session and thank them for coming while reiterating the importance of their contributions in achieving a successful outcome.

Which other tips have worked for you?

Picture Attribution: “The End Means Final Expiration And Conclusion” by Stuart Miles/Freedigitalphotos.net