Context Free Questions
These come from Exploring Requirements: Quality Before Design by Gause & Weinberg.
Process
- Who is the client for X?
- What is a highly successful solution really worth to the client?
- (Ask this if the answer to the previous context-free question does not seem to justify the effort involved.)What is the real reason for wanting to solve this problem?
- Should we use a single design team, or more than one?
- Who should be on the team(s)?
- How much time do we have for this project?
- What is the trade-off between time and value?
- Where else can the solution to this design problem be obtained?
- Can we copy something that already exists?
Product
- What problem does this system solve?
- What problems could this system create?
- What environment is this system likely to encounter?
- What kind of precision is required or desired in the product?
- Will it affect staffing?
- How will you know if the product is a success?
Metaquestions
- Am I asking you too many questions?
- Do my questions seem relevant?
- Are you the right person to answer these questions?
- Are your answers official?
- In order to be sure that we understand each other, I’ve found that it helps me to have things in writing so I can study them at my leisure. May I write down your answers and give you a written copy to study and approve?
- (Use this if your communication has been only in writing so far.) The written material has been helpful, but I find that I understand some things better if I can discuss them face to face. Can we get together at some point, so we can know each other better and can clarify some of these points?
- Is there anyone else who can give me useful answers?
- Is there someplace I can go to see the environment in which this product will be used?
Meta-questions at the end of every conversation
- Is there anything else I should be asking you?
- Is there anything you would like to ask me?
- May I return or call you with more questions later, in case I don’t cover everything this time?
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