Surveys are a type of requirements elicitation technique that involves sending a set of questions or statements to a large group of stakeholders and collecting their responses. Surveys can be conducted using various modes, such as online, email, phone, or paper. Surveys are useful for capturing the feelings and thoughts of a large and diverse population of stakeholders, identifying the common needs and wants of the majority, and analyzing the trends and patterns of the responses. Surveys can also help to gather quantitative and qualitative data, measure the level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction, and obtain feedback on the existing or proposed solution. Surveys are different from interviews, which are a type of requirements elicitation technique that involves asking questions and documenting the responses from a single person or a small group of people. Interviews are useful for exploring the in-depth and detailed information from the key stakeholders, probing deeper into their needs and expectations, and clarifying any ambiguities or inconsistencies. Interviews can also help to establish rapport and trust with the stakeholders, observe their non-verbal cues, and tailor the questions according to the context and situation. Surveys are also different from trend analysis, which is a type of requirements elicitation technique that involves examining the historical or current data and information to identify the changes and developments over time. Trend analysis can help to understand the past and present performance and behavior of the system or the process, predict the future outcomes and scenarios, and anticipate the opportunities and threats. Trend analysis can also help to validate and verify the requirements, evaluate the feasibility and viability of the solution, and support the decision making and planning. Surveys are not focus groups, which are a type of requirements elicitation technique that involves inviting a group of stakeholders to a moderated discussion on a specific topic or issue. Focus groups can help to generate a large number of ideas and opinions, find solutions for a specific problem, and stimulate the interaction and debate among the participants. Focus groups can also help to gain insights and perspectives from different stakeholders, identify the areas of agreement or disagreement, and foster a sense of involvement and ownership. References:
CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 4: Elicitation and Collaboration, page 180-181.
Top 10 Most Common Requirements Elicitation Techniques, paragraph 9
Software Engineering | Requirements Elicitation - GeeksforGeeks, paragraph 6
Elicitation Technique Guide | Info-Tech Research Group, paragraph 1
Requirements Elicitation Technique (RET) : 10+ Effective RET - Skillcubator, paragraph 4
