Ask the Right Question Before Building
Who this book is for
Người làm công nghệ và AI trong doanh nghiệp Việt Nam: nhân viên IT một mình hay trong nhóm nhỏ, lập trình viên, người dựng tính năng AI, trưởng nhóm kỹ thuật ở công ty vừa và nhỏ; vừa phải giữ hệ thống chạy ổn, vừa được giao đưa công cụ và AI mới vào công việc của các phòng khác.
Sound familiar?
- Finished tools turn out to be not what was wanted.
- Requests arrive as one-line messages.
- Every meeting adds scope and nothing is fixed.
- The requester is not the daily user.
After reading, you can
Help tech staff understand business needs correctly before building.
Each chapter answers one question
Chapter 1: Do they need that feature, or a problem solved?
What problem lies behind the request someone just sent me?
People usually bring a solution, while what needs understanding is the problem behind it.
Chapter 2: Is the person asking the one who'll use it?
Who will use what I build every day?
The requester, the payer and the user are usually three different people.
Chapter 3: Does asking what users want reveal what they need?
What should I ask in a session with users?
Asking about the last time they did the task gets truer answers than asking what they want.
Chapter 4: Everyone nodded in the meeting, but did we agree?
How do I rewrite the need so they can confirm it?
A need is only understood correctly when the person who raised it reads it back and nods.
Chapter 5: Are changing requirements really the client's fault?
How do I handle a new request midway through?
Changing requirements are normal; changes nobody records are the problem.