Agile Requirements Methods

To ensure that their software teams build the right software the right way, many companies turn to standard processes such as Rational Software's Rational Unified Process® (RUP®), a comprehensive set of industry best practices that provide proven methods and guidelines for developing software applications. Through the application of use cases and other requirements techniques, the RUP helps development teams build the right software by helping them understand what user needs their products must fulfill. Moreover, the RUP and many other contemporary software processes prescribe a software lifecycle method that is iterative and incremental, as this method helps teams address the risk inherent in a new development effort more effectively than did earlier, more rigid "waterfall" process approaches. Risk can originate from a variety of sources: technology and scale, deficient people skills, unachievable scope or timeline issues, potential health or safety hazards defects, and so on. Experience has proved repeatedly that addressing these risks early in the lifecycle is a key factor in producing successful project outcomes, and requirements management is one very effective way to accomplish this.