Requirements Engineering

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses success of a project as very much dependant on the accurate, unambiguous and a well-developed requirements specification. The paper goes on to describe requirements engineering's role in assisting the software developer to grasp requirements within software development without room for any ambiguity.

Table of Contents:
Thesis
Introduction
Requirements Engineering
Elicitation
Elicitation Techniques (Interviewing, Workshops, Prototypes)
Requirements Analysis
Requirements Analysis Tools
Documentation
Validation and Approval
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Sometimes prototyping is also used as an important requirements elicitation tool. This is more so in cases where the requirements are ambiguous, making the feedback from users as an important input before proceeding with the actual project development and implementation. Prototypes, typically, have only a portion of the functionality of the system. However, they are very effective in uncovering hidden user requirements. Experts opine that prototyping, being a model of the proposed system, eliminates the problems with the 'Yes but' syndrome as it clearly shows the user what the developed system would do for them. Prototypes are "a partial implementation of a software system, built to help developers, users, and customers better understand the requirements of the system" [Leffingwell, 149]"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bashar Nuseibeh & Steve Easterbrook, 'Requirements Engineering: A Road Map', Available online at, http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~ban/pubs/sotar.re.pdf Accessed Dec 11th 2005
• Linda Westfall, 'Software Requirements Engineering: What, Why, Who, When and How', SQP, Vol 7, No 4, 2005, Available online at, 'http://www.asq.org/pub/sqp/past/vol7_issue4/sqpv7i4westfall.pdf
• The Economist, "Managing Complexity", Available Online at, http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=3423238 Accessed Dec 12th 2005
• Harel D, 1992, 'Biting the Silver Bullet: Toward a Brighter Future for Software Development', IEEE Computer, Vol 25, 1 1992, 8-24
• Fairley Richard, "Software Engineering Concepts", Tata McgrawHill, 2000,

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