Client Needs and Software Requirements from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Module 1: Introduction to Requirements

Welcome to the first module! In this module, you will become familiar with software requirements and some issues surrounding them. You will learn what a software requirement is, including the different types of requirements. Then, you will learn how to deal with changing requirements and control project scope, as well as how requirements affect design. These lessons will give you the knowledge you need to move on to eliciting and creating good quality requirements in the next modules.

Module 2: User Interaction

A major duty of a software product manager is eliciting and expressing requirements from your client. This module will walk you through the basics of client interactions and requirements elicitation and expression. You will learn how to create the best product for your end users, how to conduct productive client meetings, and various ways of expressing requirements. These techniques will provide you with the tools you will need to confidently interact with your client as well as satisfy them with the “right product”.

Module 3: Writing Requirements

Explore the many ways in which software requirements can be represented. In this module, you will learn about the most popular means of expressing requirements in the industry today: the user story. You will learn how acceptance tests help to verify the stories which they accompany, and how to create a robust product backlog. At the end of the module, you will learn how story maps are used to organize user stories, so that you’re always putting your effort into the tasks which makes the most impact.

Module 4: Quality Requirements

To this point, you have learned how to effectively elicit, express, and prioritize requirements. It’s now time to ensure clarity. This last module will explore the activity of analyzing requirements in greater detail. Analyzing creates clear, actionable, requirements which result in high quality software with fewer errors.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops requirements elicitation and client interaction skills, which are core skills for software product managers

Teaches user story writing, a highly relevant and industry-standard method for expressing software requirements

Examines user acceptance testing, which is crucial for validating software requirements

Introduces story mapping, a useful technique for organizing user stories and prioritizing requirements

Explores various requirements representation techniques, providing a comprehensive understanding of the field

Reviews summary

Client requirements and software needs

Learners say this course largely focuses on how to analyze client needs and manage client requirements effectively. It provides detailed information on eliciting, expressing, and gathering software requirements. By studying real-world examples, you'll learn the importance of understanding client needs. This course is well-structured with helpful assignments, quizzes, and peer reviews. The instructors are knowledgeable, patient, and provide many examples to help you apply what you learn.

Explores best practices for gathering client requirements.

"Very useful course for any one in the Software industry that currently working with clients."

"Help us to improve how to communicate efficiently with them and get the quality business requirement"

Uses real-world examples to illustrate concepts and best practices.

"This course is excellent, it is too easy to understand, and the couches explain very good, they give you plenty of details in order to you can complete the course."

"This was one of the toughest topic i have ever encountered to, but the instructors made this course very simple, I respect their effort in teaching."

Provides a step-by-step process for analyzing client requirements.

"Excellent course !! By attending this course you're given the opportunity to learn a lot about client needs and software requirements."

"The course's stracture is organized so well, that helps you to fully understand all the subject."

Offers peer reviews and assignments to apply and test your knowledge.

"I love the specialization. It's informative, structured, practical. The best I've had on Coursera."

"This is a fantastic course. This should be required learning for product managers and product owners."

Provides glossaries and supplemental materials to help you understand key concepts and further your learning.

"The course notes and glossary provided for the course deserve a round of applause, and supporting articles are definitely worth reading."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Client Needs and Software Requirements with these activities:

Take an online course on Requirements Engineering

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Gain a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of requirements engineering.

Browse courses on Requirements Engineering

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Identify an appropriate online course.
Enroll in the course and complete the modules.
Participate in discussions and complete assignments.

Review the text 'Software Requirements'

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Familiarize yourself with key concepts and techniques in software requirements gathering and analysis.

View Software Requirements Essentials: Core... on Amazon

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Read the book's introduction and first three chapters.
Summarize the main ideas of each chapter in your own words.
Identify and explain the different types of software requirements.

Practice writing User Stories

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Develop proficiency in expressing requirements using the User Story format.

Browse courses on User Stories

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Identify a scenario or feature.
Write a user story template.
Fill in the details of the user story.

Five other activities

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Develop a User Story Map

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Visualize and prioritize software requirements from the user's perspective.

Browse courses on Agile Development

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Identify the user stories.
Organize the user stories into a map.
Prioritize the user stories.

Design a Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)

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Develop a plan for tracking and managing the relationships between requirements and other artifacts.

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Identify the stakeholders and their needs.
Define the scope of the RTM.
Create a template for the RTM.
Populate the RTM with requirements and other relevant information.

Conduct peer review of requirements documents

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Enhance critical thinking and communication skills by providing and receiving feedback on requirements documents.

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Identify a peer to review requirements with.
Exchange requirements documents.
Provide constructive feedback.

Participate in a hackathon focused on software requirements

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Apply your knowledge and skills in a timed, competitive environment to solve a real-world requirements challenge.

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Find a suitable hackathon.
Form a team or join an existing team.
Develop a solution to the challenge.
Present your solution and compete against other teams.

Contribute to an open-source requirements management tool

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Gain practical experience and contribute to the community by working on a real-world requirements management tool.

Browse courses on Open Source

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Identify a suitable open-source requirements management tool.
Review the tool's documentation and codebase.
Identify areas where you can contribute.
Submit your contributions to the project.

Career center

Learners who complete Client Needs and Software Requirements will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst works with clients, which aligns well with the client interaction and requirement elicitation skills you'll learn in Client Needs and Software Requirements. You will also learn to define business problems, and the course will help develop your ability to analyze data and define solutions, which are both important for this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Client Relationship Manager

As a Client Relationship Manager, you will be responsible for managing relationships with clients. This course can help you develop the skills you need to build strong relationships with clients and understand their needs. You will also learn how to communicate effectively with clients, which is essential for success in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Client Relationship Manager

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for defining the vision for a product and ensuring that it meets the needs of the customer. This course will help you develop the skills you need to understand customer needs and translate them into product requirements. You will also learn how to prioritize requirements and manage the product development process.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Project Manager

Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. This course will help you develop the skills you need to manage projects effectively, including the ability to define project scope, develop project plans, and track project progress. You will also learn how to manage stakeholders and communicate effectively with team members.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Requirements Engineer

Requirements Engineers are responsible for eliciting, analyzing, and documenting software requirements. This course will help you develop the skills you need to gather requirements from stakeholders, analyze requirements to ensure that they are complete and consistent, and document requirements in a clear and concise manner.

See salaries and explore the career path for Requirements Engineer

Software Developer

Software Developers are responsible for designing, developing, and testing software applications. This course will help you develop the skills you need to understand software requirements, design software solutions, and implement software applications. You will also learn how to test software applications to ensure that they meet the requirements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Systems Analyst

Systems Analysts are responsible for analyzing and designing business systems. This course will help you develop the skills you need to understand business processes, design business systems, and implement business systems. You will also learn how to manage projects and communicate effectively with stakeholders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

Technical Writer

Technical Writers are responsible for creating and maintaining technical documentation. This course will help you develop the skills you need to write clear and concise technical documentation. You will also learn how to use technical writing tools and manage technical writing projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

User Experience Designer

User Experience Designers are responsible for designing and developing user interfaces for software applications. This course will help you develop the skills you need to understand user needs, design user interfaces, and evaluate user interfaces. You will also learn how to use user experience design tools and manage user experience design projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Designer

Consultant

Consultants provide advice and guidance to clients on a variety of topics. This course can help you develop the skills you need to understand client needs, analyze client problems, and develop solutions for clients. You will also learn how to communicate effectively with clients and manage consulting projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Data Analyst

Data Analysts are responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. This course may be useful for developing the skills you need to understand data analysis techniques and tools. You will also learn how to communicate data analysis results to stakeholders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Market Researcher

Market Researchers are responsible for conducting market research to understand customer needs. This course may be useful for developing the skills you need to design and conduct market research studies. You will also learn how to analyze market research data and communicate market research results to stakeholders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Researcher

Quality Assurance Analyst

Quality Assurance Analysts are responsible for testing software applications to ensure that they meet quality standards. This course may be useful for developing the skills you need to understand software testing techniques and tools. You will also learn how to write test cases and evaluate test results.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Analyst

Sales Engineer

Sales Engineers are responsible for selling software products and services. This course may be useful for developing the skills you need to understand customer needs and communicate product benefits. You will also learn how to develop sales proposals and close sales deals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Engineer

Technical Support Engineer

Technical Support Engineers are responsible for providing technical support to customers. This course may be useful for developing the skills you need to understand customer problems and resolve technical issues. You will also learn how to communicate effectively with customers and manage technical support cases.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Support Engineer