How to gather requirements?

"Innovation is not about saying yes to everything. It's about saying NO to all but the most crucial features."                                                                                                                                   

– Steve Jobs

I have saved several doomed projects by spending a few days with the client to carefully listen to their needs and set the right expectations. Armed with nothing but a pencil and paper (or their digital equivalents), the process is incredibly simple, but effective. Here are some of the key points to remember while gathering requirements:

1. Talk directly to the application owners even if they are not technically minded.
2. Make sure you listen to their needs fully and note them.
3. Don't use technical jargon such as models. Keep it simple and use end-user friendly terms such as a user profile.
4. Set the right expectations. If something is not technically feasible or difficult, make sure you tell them right away.
5. Sketch as much...