In our previous article ‘A Guide to Handle Requirements Modeling Activities’, we have seen how the requirements gathering process enables us to ask the right questions at the right time and thereby, gather all the information that we need. However, it is crucial to know which model to choose as per project management best practices. There is no correct answer to this. Every model is based on a different approach. The suitability varies from project to project and we need to explore which is the best model suitable for our project.
For example, when we are developing business development projects, data models are helpful. On the other hand, when working on the development of software applications, it is required to describe interactions between the software and the people using it. For such projects, it is best to refer to use cases, or prototypes. The approach is referred to as concurrent requirements gathering.
While we are discussing the different types of models, let us take a look at the various types of models used by business analysts when working on projects.
Various Models Used by Business Analysts
1. Data Models:
Although once thought to be the domain of database administrators and technical developers, database models help you determine your stakeholders’ needs with ease. These models define how data is structured logically. The model describes the relationship between different parts of the data. Database models are of three types – hierarchical model, network model, and relationship model. For the hierarchical model, every entity can have just one root which is right at the top, and multiple children. In a network model on the other hand, all entities are linked and organized in the form of a graph. The entities can be accessed by each other through several paths. Relational models are models which come with two tables related to each other. Both tables will have related data inside them.
2. Process Models:
Every project slightly or thoroughly changes the way in which we do things. Even if there is a minor or major change, the way people behave at their workplace changes to a certain extent after the completion of a project. In order to have a clear view regarding the impact that the changes are going to bring upon the stakeholders, we need to understand how they are behaving in the present day and to what extent will that be different once the project completes. Process models help us gain an understanding of this.
3. Use Case Models:
A use case model is a little different from the other types of models. A use case is like a scenario that describes how a system is used to achieve a certain goal. An actor is a user who is playing a role. A system or people part of the system can be actors. A scenario is nothing but the series of actions that describe the interactions between the system and its players (actors). A use case model consists of all actors and scenarios.
A use case model has the following key benefits.
- It helps capture a system’s requirements (functional) from the end user’s point of view.
- This model insists on the active participation of users during the requirement gathering process. Therefore, it provides a strong foundation.
- A use case model also serves as the foundation for building system test cases.
The key feature of a use case model is that it represents complete functionality.
Models Working Together
Data models answer the question as to what data to provide, what not to provide to stakeholders, and the data to be put on the user interface. Process models help us with navigation on screen. Therefore, the touch point between two models is the interaction between software and end user. Use case models give us all information we need to know about this interaction.
Business Models Help Prototyping:
Business models help bring new ideas, and concepts and form the platform for experimenting with your ideas and concepts. Additionally, since business models are a miniature glimpse of the actual reality, it provides a great platform to or propose new ideas and get feedback from stakeholders.
As a project manager, you may not be doing the actual work. However, your responsibility is to ensure that the work gets done. In order to ensure this, it is vital that you have enough knowledge about each of these models and their values and exactly how they talk to each other. Unless you know enough about the models you will not know which one will yield the best results for your project.
