Requirements Gathering Scenario Questions
Part of the Business Analyst Roadmap
In short
'How would you gather requirements for a hospital booking system?' Interviewers don't want a list of techniques. They want to hear you think: who you'd talk to, what you'd ask, and why.
'How would you gather requirements for X system?' — testing whether you can select and apply appropriate elicitation techniques from Phase 2 to a realistic scenario.
Think of it like this
The doctor taking history
A good doctor doesn't prescribe the moment you say 'stomach ache'. She asks when it started, what you ate, whether it's sharp or dull. Then she picks the right test. Answer elicitation questions the same way: diagnose before you prescribe.
Watch it happen
Structure for any 'how would you gather requirements' answer
1/5Ask one or two clarifying questions: what's the goal, who uses it, any deadline or constraint?
The big ideas
What you need to know
Clarify first
Asking 'Is this for patients, staff or both?' shows judgement. Jumping straight to techniques looks rehearsed.
Think wide on stakeholders
Mention the quiet ones too: support staff, compliance, the team maintaining the old system.
Justify each technique
'Observation, because receptionists may skip steps they do on autopilot' is far stronger than just 'observation'.
Mention risks
Name one risk, like busy doctors with no time, and how you'd handle it, like short 15-minute slots.
Save yourself the pain
Common mistakes
Oops
Listing every elicitation technique you know.
Do this instead
Pick two or three that fit this scenario and explain why each fits.
Oops
Answering without asking a single clarifying question.
Do this instead
Ask one or two quick questions first, or state your assumptions out loud.
Your mission
Practise three scenarios
Quick check
Asked how you'd gather requirements for a new HR leave system, what's the best opening move?
Go deeper
- 1Review Phase 2 and practice matching techniques to hypothetical scenarios.
- 2Prepare a real example from your Phase 14 portfolio if you have one.
- 3Practice explaining why you'd combine multiple techniques rather than relying on just one.
More requirements & documentation at this stop
Documentation & Traceability Questions
Requirements Prioritization Scenarios
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