Course Description and Competencies

What to Expect

In this course, you will work through five modules of material. Each module is broken down into smaller units. These units provide an overview of key concepts in software product design and requirement engineering. These include managing requirements, stakeholder communication and expectation management, impact and risk analysis, and analyzing software design.

Throughout the course, you will find readings and other activities to help strengthen your comprehension of the content. These include videos, practice simulations, and knowledge checks to deepen your understanding of the content. Engaging with these activities reinforces and expands new learning, complementing the knowledge you bring to this course.

The final assessment provides an opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of the competencies in this course. You may attempt the assessment two times before additional support is necessary. If you require further attempts, please contact your Student Experience Team. We're here to help! 

Prerequisites:

To get the most out of this course, you should have a background in software development, including experience with coding and at least one major programming language. Familiarity with Python is also recommended, as it is widely used in AI tools and libraries.

Course Competencies

This course covers the following competencies:

  • Describes Impact of New Requirements: The learner describes the impact new requirements have on software design.
  • Explains the Importance of Requirements: The learner explains the importance of requirement types on the specific needs of a project. 
  • Documents Stakeholder Needs and Constraints: The learner documents the needs and constraints of stakeholders to ensure that the final product meets their expectations. 
  • Describes Usability Testing for Project Effectiveness: The learner describes the usability testing they will conduct to evaluate the effectiveness of the project and make recommendations for improvements. 
  • Translates Requirements: The learner translates requirements into software design.

Assessment

You must achieve a ranking of Competent on each assessment to pass the course. You may attempt the assessment two times before additional support is necessary. If you require further attempts, please contact your Student Experience Team.

2 Final Projects
3 Competency Units

Course Outline

ModuleUpon completion of this module, you will be able to:
Impact of New Requirements
  • Understand the basics of requirements engineering, including the role of stakeholders. 
  • Define impact analysis and list tools and techniques for conducting an impact analysis. 
  • Analyze how new requirements will affect a current software design, architecture, modules, and functionality. 
  • Understand refactoring techniques to improve code quality and accommodate new requirements. 
  • Explain how to identify and select tools and strategies for requirements management, version control, and configuration management. 
  • Explain how to communicate identified impacts, potential changes, and recommendations to stakeholders.
New Requirements
  • Describe the purpose and characteristics of requirement types in a software engineering project. 
  • Explain how to elicit requirements using requirement-gathering techniques.
  • Describe the purpose and characteristics of requirement types in a software engineering project. 
  • Define requirement level classifications and explain their role in meeting business needs. 
  • Define types of system requirements. 
  • Explain how requirement types align with stakeholder needs in various project contexts. 
Managing Requirements
  • Understand factors that influence prioritization and identify techniques and tools for prioritization. 
  • Analyze documents to determine stakeholder requirements. 
  • Understand documentation practices for software requirements. 
  • Describe effective communication strategies to ensure all requirements are clearly captured and understood by relevant stakeholders.
Conducting Usability Testing
  • Identify the goals and objectives of usability testing and explain how to report and take action on usability findings. 
  • Understand how to identify the target audience and describe techniques for participant recruitment. 
  • Understand usability testing methods and explain how to select a usability testing method based on objectives, timeline, and available resources. 
  • Describe the scenarios and tasks participants perform during usability testing sessions in addition to the usability testing environment. 
  • Explain what to include in a usability report. 
  • Understand the ethical and accessibility aspects associated with planning and conducting usability testing. 
  • Identify strategies for addressing potential challenges in usability testing.
Analyzing Software Design
  • Understand how to develop diagrams that visually represent the proposed system's requirements and components in a clear and structured way. 
  • Explain how to visualize a software's features, user interactions, and key functionalities in a prototype or wireframe using a professional tool. 
  • Describe the importance of iterative design and best practices for maintainability and testability

Key Contacts

Certificate Connect
Check out this online community to take advantage of course resources, including videos and tips from your educators. You can ask and answer questions, provide feedback on your progress, and interact with fellow students. You will find this platform in the Student Resources section of the course. Log on and do some exploring!

Technical Support
If you encounter technical issues, be sure to contact the Help Desk. Just submit a Support Request for assistance.

Program Support
Do you have questions about your account? Student Support has answers. They can help with billing, switching courses, and other requests. You can contact them at (888) 320-0540 or support@academy.wgu.edu.

Accommodations

WGU provides compliant and accessible learning experiences. If you require accommodation, please contact us at the start of the course. You can email disability@academy.wgu.edu.

We are committed to ensuring that all students with disabilities have equal access to WGU's services and materials. We strive to use best practices for accessibility. Our goal is to conform to existing U.S. laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Our learning management system (LMS) platform is Open edX. Open edX’s commitment to accessible content is published in their Website Accessibility Policy.