Depending on the sources we've read, somewhere between 30% and 90% of all software projects ship later than their planned release dates.
The effects of this can be serious, including:
Why do so many software development projects miss their deadlines? The reasons are myriad, but one of the most common is vague or unclear product requirements.
Why does this happen, and how can you overcome it?
In this blog post, we'll cover some best practices for avoiding unclear product requirements and introduce you to Archie, our AI product architect that can help you enhance product discovery and feature definition.
Every software development project has "unknowns." These are aspects of the project that are not recognized or defined at the outset.
There are:
Dealing with unknowns is unavoidable. It's a fact of every engineering project.
But — how many unknowns are actually "should-have-knowns?"
Let's use the example of an application where non-technical stakeholders have requested AI and personalization features. The software delivery team, composed of technical experts in UX, product design, management and engineering collect requirements and start work.
However, prior to delivery, the team finds that their solution is non-compliant with consumer privacy laws in certain markets. Should they have known? The answer is yes.
The requirements gathering phase is a balance of ensuring all necessary details are clearly captured, while moving through the requirements phase as quickly as possible.
This creates an element of tension, where projects are pushed to move forward before all of the necessary details are collected, and it can become even more complicated when dealing with communication challenges:
In other words, unclear product requirements happen because software teams are navigating communication challenges while trying to balance detail capture with project deadlines.
Until recently, we have treated software requirements gathering as an "either or" situation.
That is no longer the case.
Archie, 8base's AI product architect, allows teams to capture more comprehensive requirements, move through the requirements gathering phase more quickly, and more effectively manage communications with non-technical stakeholders.
Archie is an AI assistant trained on multiple LLMs, fine-tuned to different aspects of the product lifecycle.
Working with Archie starts with a simple prompt. Tell it a little about your project, and it'll quickly get to work building out technical, architectural and UX specifications to help your team flesh out more comprehensive requirements.
That's just the start. As you further define your project specifications in Archie, it can help you write user stories, and it will flag potential regulatory or compliance hurdles.
For example, our software team that ran into trouble with AI and personalization features would be able to see around corners without having to expend time and money on consulting with legal experts.
Archie includes project management and a groundbreaking "chat with your project" feature that helps break down the barriers between technical teams and non-technical stakeholders, improving your communication and reducing misunderstandings. Archie is free to try.
Unclear product requirements often stem from poor communication, insufficient research and the challenge of balancing comprehensive detail capture with project deadlines.
Archie, 8base's AI product architect, offers a solution by enhancing requirements gathering and improving communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders. With Archie, Software teams no longer need to choose between fully defining a project and starting quickly with inevitable unknowns.
We're excited about helping you achieve amazing results.
