How can shadowing be described as a requirements elicitation technique?

Shadowing is best described as a technique for capturing user behaviors and needs in real-time. This approach allows the business analyst to observe users as they interact with a system or perform their tasks in a natural setting. By watching users in action, the analyst gathers valuable insights into how they work, the challenges they face, and their actual needs. This first-hand observation helps ensure that the requirements gathered are more aligned with real-world usage, leading to more effective solutions.

The technique is beneficial because it provides context that interviews or surveys might miss, such as non-verbal cues and the actual workflow. This direct observation helps identify discrepancies between what users say they do and what they actually do in practice. As a result, shadowing can uncover hidden requirements and issues that might not surface through other elicitation methods.

While shadowing can indeed involve some indirect data collection aspects, primarily it focuses on real-time user experiences. It is not limited to technical requirements and can be applied to both functional and non-functional requirements, making its application broad rather than solely focused on technical aspects. Additionally, it is not restricted to just team members; it is relevant for any users of the system being studied, making it applicable in various organizational contexts.