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VIPER, and its older brother VPEC-T analysis, (created by Nigel Green & Carl Bate), are thinking frameworks comprising a collection of mental filters or guides. The framework provides a simplified 'language' for preventing loss in translation from business needs to IT solutions. It is used when analysing the expectations of multiple parties having different views of a system. A system in which they all have an interest in common but have different priorities and different responsibilities.

 

The process of designing information systems typically involves a plethora of conflicting viewpoints. These can slow down implementation efforts if not effectively managed. To combat this, the VPEC-T analysis thinking framework was conceived in 2007, which was later re-badged VIPER in 2019. For simplicity, I will refer to both collectively as VIPER from now on.

 

The essence of VIPER analysis is to provide a collection of mental filters and guides. Together, they provide a simplified communication method that prevents loss in translation from business needs to IT and other solutions. As such, VIPER analysis is used when analyzing the expectations of multiple parties with different views of a single system. Each party may have different priorities and responsibilities and may want to achieve different objectives. VIPER analysis is commonly used for complex enterprise IT systems or large-scale development efforts. It's also used for non-IT change such as organisational and cultural change.