Gathering requirements

Collect and prepare all the inputs required for optimal product configuration.

When deciding to implement OpenCRVS in a country, there are a number of activities that executed to understand the country’s civil registration reality, legal and technical requirements.

Investing time and effort in this stage leads to an optimal local configuration of OpenCRVS, mitigating the risks of friction and challenges during the product’s implementation phase.

Below, that main stages of requirements gathering:

1. Preparation & Foundation

Understand the country's civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) before starting fieldwork. This ensures targeted and efficient activities, optimising stakeholder interactions.

Expected outcomes include a thorough understanding of the CRVS legal and procedural framework, its history, and challenges. Additionally, compile and analyse relevant documents and develop a fieldwork plan covering logistics, objectives, and discussion guides for effective stakeholder engagement.

See Preparation & Foundation in detail →

2. Field Research & Discovery

Immerse in the real-world environment of CRVS systems and processes, allowing observation of daily challenges and processes. It provides insights beyond policy documents, revealing the practical workings of these operations.

Expected outcomes include gaining qualitative insights and a "real-world" understanding of CRVS processes. We will create process maps highlighting registration sequences, identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities. An initial analysis will address pressing challenges and suggest interventions, paving the way for a user-centric digital solution aligned with real-world needs.

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3. Co-Design & Validation

Unite stakeholders — government, service providers, technical partners, and citizens — to address challenges, verify insights, and co-create citizen-focused service delivery models (SDM). This approach encourages bold innovation, advancing resilient CRVS systems to resolve issues, ensure equitable access, and enhance vital statistics quality.

Expected outcomes are validated problem statements, an endorsed vision for future CRVS SDMs (defining new roles, interaction channels, and process steps), a detailed scope of work, finalised user roles/hierarchy, integration requirements, and prioritised feature epics ready for design, ensuring the development team focuses on high-value, critical issues.

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4. Design & Specification

Ensure the system's architecture and user experience are clearly defined by translating validated user needs and workflows into tangible artefacts, such as detailed user interface mock-ups, interactive prototypes, and comprehensive technical documentation such as configuration templates. This approach minimises ambiguity for development teams and facilitates validation of the proposed solutions with stakeholders prior to the onset of intensive coding.

Expected outcomes involve comprehensive UI mock-ups, engaging prototypes, and comprehensive technical documentation, including architecture, UX, and features. Key deliverables encompass approved configuration templates for essential event definitions, certified copy formats, and user roles, ensuring the system aligns with local legal requirements and is prepared for development.

See Design & Specification in detail →

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Suggested team profile and composition

For effective requirements gathering you will need to set up a multidisciplinary team with specific skill sets. This team is crucial for leading the stage and should include professionals capable of:

• Conducting qualitative interviews

• Managing stakeholder conversations and facilitating workshops

• Analysing and synthesising findings

• Understanding relevant legal, compliance, and technical constraints

A core team composition could be composed by:

• Business and Processes Analysts

• Design/Qualitative Researchers

• Discovery and/or Product Managers

• Local Legal experts (e.g., Civil Registration personnel)

• Technical/System Analysts

This varied expertise ensures that the project is well-grounded in operational realities and contextual user experiences while successfully addressing all legal and business requirements.