Which Three Techniques Are Commonly Used for Requirements Elicitation?

Quick Answer

The answer is observation, interviews, and questionnaires or surveys, as these three are widely recognized as core requirements elicitation techniques in project management. Observation allows a business analyst to see how stakeholders perform tasks in their actual environment, uncovering implicit needs that stakeholders may not articulate. Interviews provide a direct, one-on-one forum for asking structured or unstructured questions, enabling deep probing into stakeholder needs and clarification of ambiguities. Questionnaires or surveys efficiently gather input from a large number of stakeholders, especially when geographic or time constraints limit face-to-face interaction. On the CAPM exam, this question tests your understanding of the PMBOK Guide’s knowledge area on requirements management, often appearing in the context of the Collect Requirements process. A common trap is confusing brainstorming or focus groups with these three—remember that elicitation focuses on extracting existing knowledge, not generating new ideas. For a memory tip, think “O-I-Q” (Observation, Interviews, Questionnaires) as the core trio for direct stakeholder engagement.