Elicit and Analyze Requirements is the process of collecting stakeholder needs and systematically analyzing them to define clear, prioritized, and feasible requirements.
It answers;
What do stakeholders really need?
Are these needs feasible and aligned with value?
Capture complete and accurate requirements
Avoid ambiguity and misunderstandings
Ensure alignment with business goals
Provide a foundation for scope definition and design
Two Key Parts
Purpose
Understand stakeholder expectations (often unclear or hidden)
Techniques
Interviews
Workshops / Focus groups
Brainstorming
Surveys & questionnaires
Observation (job shadowing)
Prototyping
User stories (Agile)
Output
Raw requirements (often unstructured)
Stakeholder expectations
Purpose
Convert raw inputs into clear, structured, and usable requirements
Key Activities
Rank requirements based on:
Business value
Risk
urgency
Example: MoSCoW (Must, Should, Could, Won’t)
Technical feasibility
Financial feasibility
Operational feasibility
Resolve conflicting stakeholder needs
Break high-level needs into detailed requirements
Process flows
Use case diagrams
Data models
Well-defined, structured requirements
Basis for scope and design
Business requirements → Why the project exists
Stakeholder requirements → Expectations
Functional requirements → What the system should do
Non-functional requirements → Performance, security, usability
Solar Power Plant
Stakeholder inputs:
Government: Regulatory compliance
Investors: ROI targets
Local community: Minimal environmental impact
Prioritize compliance (mandatory)
Evaluate cost vs environmental safeguards
Resolve conflict: Cost vs sustainability
“The plant must comply with environmental regulations and maintain noise levels below X decibels”
Key Insight
Stakeholders often say what they want, not what they need
Analysis converts wants → real requirements