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Successfully Interviewing Your Project Customer and Gathering Project Requirements - Part XI - Block Model
December 27, 2007 | Author: PM Hut | Filed under: Project Management Best Practices, Requirements Management
Successfully Interviewing Your Project Customer and Gathering Project Requirements - Part XI - Block Model (#11 in the series Successfully Interviewing Your Project Customer and Gathering Project Requirements)
By Keith Mathis - PM Expert Live
The block model is a second method to assist you in being able to organize your interview process. Below, you will notice there are three categories on the left-hand side of the model as well as three across the top. This model allows you the capability to plan your interview experience with questions that will fit each of the components.
The three sections across the top are investigate, diagnose, and confirm. Each section allows you the opportunity to investigate what the customer wants to diagnose - the real hurt, pain or solution desired by the customer - and confirm that your solution and understanding is on target with the customer’s desires.
The three categories on the left are paraphrase, closed, and open. These sections allow you the opportunity to create various questions in which to explore all aspects of the model for gathering requirements from the customer.
It is clear that by using the block model, an interviewer can be prepared with various questions that will allow the project team to better understand the requirements and goals of the project in a shorter period of time.
| Block Model | |||
| Investigate | Diagnose | Confirm | |
| Open | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Closed | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Paraphrase | 3 | 6 | 9 |
Sample Questions To Ask Clients
- Explain some of the particular characteristics of the organization’s culture.
- Who are the main stakeholders or players in the project?
- Detail the internal politics surrounding this project.
- Are there any hidden issues or agendas that would be good to know about?
- Are there any major areas of resistance that could hinder or defeat the project?
- Who can help motivate or drive this project?
- When this project is completed, describe what it should look like or how it should function.
- Once the project is underway, what type of reporting schedule would you prefer?
- Who analyzed and set the timetable?
- Do you feel the time schedule is realistic and doable with the present resources?
- If we discern the timetable or budget is severely off, how do you want us to handle it?
Dr. Keith Mathis, founder and CEO of The Mathis Group, specializes in Project Management, Management Leadership, and Marketing training for private businesses and government agencies of all kinds. He offers 33 Project Management courses, is a Project Management Professional, is certified by the Project Management Institute and will customize every training session to your individual company’s needs. The Mathis Group also sponsors www.pmexpertlive.com, which is a powerful project management resource with free reports, podcasts, videos, and a monthly newsletter. He also offers customized management training and coaching on any subject with prolific communication and professionalism.
Related Articles
- Successfully Interviewing Your Project Customer and Gathering Project Requirements - Part VIII - Asking the Questions
- Successfully Interviewing Your Project Customer and Gathering Project Requirements - Part I - Introduction
- Successfully Interviewing Your Project Customer and Gathering Project Requirements - Part V - Requirements Interview Process
- Successfully Interviewing Your Project Customer and Gathering Project Requirements - Part III - Benefits of Conducting a Requirements Interview
- Successfully Interviewing Your Project Customer and Gathering Project Requirements - Part IX - Drill Down Questions
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