**Course Title:** Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) **Section Title:** Final Project Preparation **Topic:** Project Requirements Gathering **Overview:** In the final project preparation phase of this CI/CD course, we will focus on gathering requirements for your project. This topic is crucial as it sets the stage for defining and implementing a successful CI/CD pipeline. We will cover the importance of requirements gathering, how to identify the key stakeholders, and tools for collecting and documenting requirements. **Why Requirements Gathering is Important:** Requirements gathering is the process of discovering and documenting the expectations of all stakeholders involved in a project. This phase ensures that everyone is on the same page and that the project meets the desired outcomes. In the context of CI/CD, requirements gathering helps to: * Define the project scope and goals * Identify the necessary tools and technologies * Determine the pipeline workflow and stages * Establish the testing and deployment strategy **Identifying Key Stakeholders:** Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an interest in the project. In CI/CD, common stakeholders include: * Development team * Quality assurance team * Operations team * Product owner * Project manager * Customers or end-users To identify key stakeholders, ask yourself: * Who will be using the final product? * Who will be involved in the development process? * Who will be impacted by the project outcome? **Tools for Collecting and Documenting Requirements:** Several tools can help with collecting and documenting requirements. Some popular options include: * **Agile project management tools:** Jira, Trello, Asana, and Microsoft Azure DevOps * **Requirements management tools:** IBM Rational DOORS, Jama Connect, and Confluence * **Mind mapping and collaboration tools:** MindMeister, Coggle, and Google Jamboard You can also use simple techniques such as: * **Brainstorming sessions:** Gather stakeholders and conduct open-ended discussions to identify requirements. * **Surveys and questionnaires:** Send surveys to stakeholders to gather information about their needs and expectations. * **Interviews:** Conduct one-on-one or group interviews with stakeholders to collect requirements. **Gathering Requirements for Your Final Project:** For your final project, you will need to gather requirements that cover the following aspects: * **Project scope and goals:** What problem are you trying to solve, and what do you want to achieve? * **Tools and technologies:** What languages, frameworks, and tools will you use? * **Pipeline workflow and stages:** What stages will your pipeline have (e.g., build, test, deploy)? * **Testing and deployment strategy:** How will you test and deploy your application? **Best Practices for Requirements Gathering:** * **Be thorough:** Make sure to gather requirements from all stakeholders. * **Be specific:** Avoid vague or ambiguous requirements. * **Be organized:** Use tools to document and keep track of requirements. * **Be open to changes:** Requirements can change during the project lifecycle. **External Resources:** * **Agile project management:** [Atlassian Agile methodology](https://www.atlassian.com/agile) * **Requirements management:** [IBM Rational DOORS](https://www.ibm.com/in-en/marketplace/rational-doors-family) * **Mind mapping:** [MindMeister](https://www.mindmeister.com/) **Conclusion:** Project requirements gathering is a critical phase in the final project preparation for CI/CD. By identifying key stakeholders, using the right tools, and following best practices, you can ensure that your project meets the desired outcomes and is set up for success. **Next Steps:** In the next topic, we will cover 'Defining CI/CD Pipelines for Final Projects.' You will learn how to define and design a CI/CD pipeline based on your project requirements. **Call to Action:** After reading this topic, take some time to gather requirements for your final project. Use the tools and techniques discussed in this topic to collect and document your requirements. If you have any questions or need further clarification on any of the topics, feel free to ask in the comments section.