Clearer Requirements, Better Products – Training for Product Owners at Breuninger

Project at a Glance

• Target Audience: Product Owners and IT Staff
• Topics: Cross-functional collaboration, effective requirements analysis, structuring work packages, requirements documentation
• Methods: Event Storming, Domain Storytelling, Feature Breakdown, Requirements Engineering (functional requirements, quality requirements, BPMN, prototypes)
• Goal: Establish a shared understanding and collaborative problem-solving between business units and IT, while enabling precise requirements gathering

‍

Initial Situation

Many software projects fail due to unclear or insufficiently aligned requirements, resulting in delays and unexpected costs. Breuninger also faced the challenge of finding a practical approach to capture requirements collaboratively with business units and to plan implementation reliably. The objective was to equip Product Owners and IT staff with the necessary tools and methods to gather requirements efficiently, thereby increasing project success rates.

Solution

We designed a practice-oriented training that provided participants with valuable tools for effective requirements analysis and planning. The workshop followed a clear, structured framework, allowing participants to learn the methods step by step and apply them directly. It began with the topic “Why Software Projects Fail” to establish a foundation for more precise requirements analysis.

Next, the methods Event Storming and Domain Storytelling guided participants through the process of capturing complex business logic and developing a shared understanding of requirements within the team. Throughout the training, a collaborative mindset was emphasized, highlighting that requirements should not be created in isolation but developed jointly with business units to ensure all perspectives are considered.

In the final part of the workshop, participants focused on Requirements Engineering. They learned to formulate functional requirements precisely, create mockups, model business processes using BPMN diagrams, and specify quality requirements, ensuring clear and actionable requirements documentation.

Outcome

After the training, participants were able to define requirements more clearly and plan projects more efficiently. The workshop fostered better collaboration between business units and IT teams, significantly reducing misunderstandings and project delays. Participants now confidently apply the methods they learned, leading to more structured and higher-quality project execution. This, in turn, enhances both the efficiency and the quality of delivered IT projects.