Data Collecting Techniques (Fact Finding Methods)

Data collecting is very important in the software development specially in the system analysis phase. There are four types of data collecting methods;

1. Questionnaires
2. Interviews
3. Observations
4. Report Inspection

Questionnaires:

 There are two types of questionnaires;

1. Open questionnaires
2. Closed questionnaired

In open questionnaires the respondent can write his / her describe the answer in details where as in the closed type questionnaires the respondent have to select an answer from a given set of selections. Closed type questionnaires are widely using because of its simplicity and easy to reach large number of respondents.

You have to Google for advantages and disadvantages of both open and closed type questionnaires. These are very important for the exam.

Interviews

Interviews are the main choice when we want to collect data from experts, especially when we need to get qualitative data. Interviews can take place in many forms. The most popular form is the face to face interviewing a person by the interviewer. One or interview panel can interview another one or a batch of interviewers. However in the software developments this is the most famous method of data collection.

You need to have a good understanding about advantages and disadvantages of interview method as well as interviewing types. Please Google!

Observations

 Observation is another method of fact finding specially when we want to understand business flows. In this method you are going to observe various details about the business process you want to document. You may collect information such as users involved in the process, kind of data used in the process, inputs and outputs, generated reports, problems, regulations, etc.

Report Inspection

This is the best method to collect historical data. You can use reports such as quotations, invoices, accounting journals, magazines, certifications, etc. In the software development we use this method in find out various formats, data and input/outputs used in the business process.

In the software development we would have to use one or many of these techniques in various phases throughout the development process. More information are available in the internet about fact finding techniques and it is very important for you to browse the web get gain the necessary knowledge requried with practical usage of these techniques.