Requirements Gathering
Requirements gathering is a systematic process in software development and project management that involves identifying, documenting, and validating the needs and constraints of stakeholders for a project. It serves as the foundation for defining what a system or product should do, ensuring alignment between business goals and technical implementation. This process typically includes techniques like interviews, workshops, surveys, and analysis of existing systems to capture functional and non-functional requirements.
Developers should learn requirements gathering to prevent project failures, reduce rework, and ensure they build solutions that meet actual user needs, especially in roles involving business analysis or full-stack development. It is critical in agile environments for creating accurate user stories and acceptance criteria, and in waterfall models for detailed specification documents before coding begins. Mastering this skill helps in translating vague business requests into clear, actionable technical tasks.