Requirements Gathering

Don't buy software before you know what you need. Proper requirements gathering prevents expensive mistakes.

Why This Matters

Without requirements:

• Buy software that doesn't fit your workflow
• Discover missing features after committing
• Pay for features you'll never use
• Team resists using the tool

With clear requirements:

• Choose right tool first time
• Know exactly what you're buying
• Get buy-in from users
• Measure success objectively

Step 1: Identify the Problem

Be specific about what you're trying to solve:

❌ Vague: "We need better project management" ✓ Specific: "We're missing deadlines because team members don't know who's responsible for tasks, and we forget client follow-ups"

Document the Pain

• How much time does this cost per week?
• How much money (lost sales, inefficiency)?
• Who is affected?
• How often does it occur?

Example: "Spending 5 hours/week searching for client emails across different inboxes = $200/week in wasted time"

Step 2: Define Must-Have Features

Must Have: Non-negotiable requirements Nice to Have: Useful but not essential Don't Need: Out of scope

Example: Accounting Software

Must Have:

• Track income and expenses
• Generate P&L statement
• Support SRD currency
• Export for accountant
• Cloud-based access
• Under $50/month

Nice to Have:

• Automatic bank sync
• Invoice features
• Multi-currency
• Mobile app

Don't Need:

• Payroll (only 1 person)
• Inventory (service business)
• Multi-location

Step 3: Understand Your Context

Business Context

• Number of users (now and in 12 months)
• Budget (setup + monthly)
• Technical skill level
• Existing tools needing integration

Regional Context

• Internet reliability (affects cloud vs desktop)
• Local support availability
• Payment methods
• Language requirements

Suriname Example Questions:

• Need offline capability for internet outages?
• Can team in Netherlands and Suriname both access?
• Is local support in Paramaribo available?
• Support both SRD and EUR?

Step 4: Interview Stakeholders

Ask Users:

• "What takes most of your time?"
• "What frustrates you about current process?"
• "What features would help most?"
• "What tools have worked well before?"

Ask Management:

• "What reports do you need?"
• "What's the budget?"
• "What's the timeline?"
• "What if we don't fix this?"

Document everything—these insights guide vendor selection.

Step 5: Create Requirements Document

Template:

Step 6: Prioritize with MoSCoW

Must Have: Deal-breakers, non-negotiable Should Have: Important, but workarounds exist Could Have: Nice additions if affordable Won't Have: Out of scope for now

Helps when evaluating tools that don't check every box.

Common Mistakes

❌ Feature creep - Adding requirements because "it would be cool" ✓ Focus on solving specific problems

❌ Copying others - "Company X uses Tool Y" ✓ Understand your unique needs

❌ Ignoring users - IT decides alone ✓ Include actual users

❌ No budget reality - Dream list ✓ Reality-check against actual budget

Real Example

Problem: Import/export business losing track of inventory

Requirements Gathered:

• Must track 200-500 products
• Must support SRD and USD pricing
• Must generate customs/tax reports
• Must work on mobile (warehouse has no computer)
• Budget: $30-75/month
• 2 users now, maybe 4 next year

Result: Shortlist of 3 cloud inventory tools Avoided: Buying expensive ERP with unneeded features

Next Steps

Once requirements are clear:

→ Vendor Selection - How to evaluate options → Pilot Testing - Test before full commitment

One week gathering requirements saves months of frustration with wrong software.