Lesson 1

Now that you have learned methods of determining needs for signs and metaphors and information architecture, you will learn the processes that are used to determine needs for selecting appropriate software.
Each marketer professes to be the sole champion of our consumer rights and pummels us with enticing advertising messages, about how their wares are the best. Seductive as these messages are, no product or service is quite the same. The difference may be glaring, that of better versus worse, or a subtle tradeoff between

1. price,
2. quality,
3. feature set,
4. customer service, or
5. durability.

It is therefore important to keep our wits about and develop a systematic approach to the buying decision. Our view should be broad and farsighted, rather than buying based only on what immediately meets the eye. Hasty decisions leave us with flashy features never used, or hefty repair bills of products that came cheap.

When planning software requirements to determine the needs of a client, there are several key steps to follow. These steps ensure that the software development process is aligned with the client's expectations and business goals.

1. Identify and Engage Stakeholders: The first step is to identify the stakeholders involved in the project. These include the client, end-users, project managers, developers, and any other individuals or groups who will be directly or indirectly affected by the software. Engage with them to understand their needs, expectations, and concerns.
2. Define Project Scope and Objectives: Clearly define the scope of the project and establish the objectives that the software needs to achieve. This includes understanding the business problem that the software is intended to solve and the outcomes that the client expects.
3. Gather and Analyze Requirements: Collect information about the client's needs and requirements. This can be done through interviews, surveys, workshops, and other methods of gathering feedback. Analyze this information to identify functional requirements (what the software should do) and non-functional requirements (performance, scalability, security, etc.).
4. Document Requirements: Document all the requirements in a clear and detailed manner. This document should be easily understandable by all stakeholders and serve as a reference point throughout the project.
5. Prioritize Requirements: Not all requirements are equally important. Prioritize them based on their impact on the project's success and the client's business objectives. This will help in making decisions if trade-offs are necessary due to time or budget constraints.
6. Review and Validate Requirements: Regularly review the requirements with the client and other stakeholders to ensure they accurately reflect the client's needs. Make necessary changes based on their feedback.
7. Plan for Change: Requirements can change over the course of a project. Establish a process for managing changes to the requirements and communicate this process to all stakeholders.
8. Communicate and Collaborate: Effective communication and collaboration among all stakeholders are crucial. Keep everyone informed about the project's progress, changes in requirements, and any issues that arise.
9. Test and Validate: Test the software to ensure it meets the defined requirements. Validate the software with the client and end-users to confirm that it meets their needs and expectations.
10. Maintain Requirements Documentation: Keep the requirements documentation up to date as changes are made to the software. This will serve as a useful reference for future updates or enhancements.

By following these steps, you can effectively plan software requirements that align with the client's needs and business objectives.

Software is used to create and manage resources available to users over the Internet. It provides the underlying components that enable a website's information architecture, and is used to store, transmit, and view the resources that are interpreted as signs and metaphors.
There are many kinds of software used for Internet applications. This lesson will give you an overview of the main categories of development and deployment software, how it is used, and some strategies and tools you can use in the selection process.
When you are finished with this module, you will be able to:

1. Identify roles and responsibilities in planning software requirements
2. Describe software assessment strategies by a third party
3. Describe software assessment strategies that can be used internally
4. Identify the differences between deployment and development software
5. Describe the steps of the software selection decision process

In the next lesson, you will learn about the division of responsibilities to the various roles in planning software requirements.