Requirements Engineering
Requirements Elicitation Techniques
Atique Zafar
Elicitation techniques
Specific techniques which may be used to collect knowledge about system requirements
This knowledge must be structured
Elicitation problems
2
Partitioning - aggregating related knowledge
Abstraction - recognizing generalities
Projection - organizing according to perspective
Not enough time for elicitation
Inadequate preparation by engineers
Stakeholders are unconvinced of the need for a new system
Software Requirements Engineering
Specific elicitation techniques
Interviews
Scenarios
Soft systems methods
Observations and social analysis
Requirements reuse
Prototyping
Document Studies
Questionnaires
Brainstorm
Focus groups
Study similar companies
3
Software Requirements Engineering
Interviews
The requirements engineer or analyst discusses the system with different stakeholders and builds up an understanding of their requirements.
Types of interview
4
Closed interviews. The requirements engineer looks for answers to a pre-defined set of questions
Open interviews There is no predefined agenda and the requirements engineer discusses, in an open -ended way, what stakeholders want from the system.
Software Requirements Engineering
Interviewing essentials
5
Interviewers must be open-minded and should not approach the interview with pre-conceived notions about what is required
Stakeholders must be given a starting point for discussion. This can be a question, a requirements proposal or an existing system
Interviewers must be aware of organizational politics - many real requirements may not be discussed because of their political implications
Software Requirements Engineering
Do's and Don'ts in an Interview
6
Do prepare thoroughly for the meeting
Do prepare a checklist for the meeting
Do introduce yourself properly
Do ask about