Developing software successfully is highly dependent on thoroughly understanding the needs that need

to be satisfied by the software. Requirements gathering is a fundamental part of any software

development project and needs to take place throughout the lifecycle of the project and should begin as

soon as the project is known about. Requirements gathering is basically the process of creating a list of

all the requirements for the project. Requirements define a project, therefore if the requirements are

written incorrectly, or are misunderstood by members of the project team, the whole project can be a

disaster, causing issues that have a long-term effect on the system or could even cause the project to

fail. Requirements gathering does not have to be an overwhelming process and will not be if some key

aspects are addressed. Some of the aspects that need to be considered include the following.

One important consideration that should be addressed is ensuring the right individuals are working on in

the in the right area of the project. This goes for requirements gathering as well. Having the appropriate

stakeholders (developers, end users, members of the project teams, etc.) providing definitive answers

that pertains to the software being built and the processes to successfully develop the software is critical

to the success of the project. These individuals should have insights on the functionalities of the current

software or the functionalities that a completely new software needs to have is extremely important.

Another important consideration and arguably the most important, is knowing who will be using the

finished software product. Will these individuals be familiar with the software solutions and functions

that are being designed, will the software be used on desktops, mobile phones, laptops, etc., To answer

these questions, think like you are the user, and leave your own point of view behind. This will help

develop a software that is more appropriate to meeting the needs of the users.

What is the software suppose to do or what issues must be solved by the software? This is yet another

important consideration that is necessary to be addressed. Ensuring the appropriate features such as
user interface elements, alerts, and transitions are some important aspects to take into considerations.

Just remember that the project does have a budget and things can add up very quickly.

There are several more important considerations that need to be addressed when developing software.

All of which are just as important as the ones stated above. However, which one are addressed and

when all depends on the software that is being designed, the budget, and the people working on the

development project.