The total cost of operations (TCO) of Business Intelligence (BI) systems is often measured in three categories: time-to-completion of projects, on-budget completion of projects, and cost per user of BI applications. There is a key process in every project that impacts all three categories: Business Requirements Engineering.

An effective requirements methodology ensures that project scope is clearly understood and costs accurately estimated. At the same time, when we deliver what users want, usage and adoption of the solution increase the user base. Why then do so many programs not take a closer look and the effectiveness of their approach to this key part of the process?