Identifying Business Requirements

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Enterprise applications are built to solve business problems. Above all other requirements, the business need drives application development. At any point in the design process, you should be able to trace the current state of the design directly to the business problem and requirements.

Business Model Tasks

In an ideal scenario, implementing an enterprise application architecture begins by defining the business requirements.

In the business model design phase, your initial task is to create the vision statement for the project. The vision statement is an informal document that communicates the expectations and assumptions on which the project is based. Out of this grows the vision/scope document.

For more information   For more details about the vision statement and vision/scope document, see Chapter 2, Enterprise Development Teams and Processes.

In addition to creating the vision statement, the business model tasks are essentially those of general management, including:

  • Establish and sustain the business case for the project.
  • Determine project cost.
  • Plan and maintain the budget.
  • Identify and set priorities.
  • Manage personnel.
  • Negotiate contracts.
  • Make business projections.

Business Model Tools

The tools used in business model planning are primarily business tools — rather than development tools — including accounting, financial planning and modeling, project management, and other management information tools. Visual Studio, Enterprise Edition provides no specific business planning tools.