A knowledge audit model for requirement elicitation: a case study to assess knowledge in requirement elicitation

This paper aims to develop a knowledge audit (KA) model with the focus on knowledge assessment in the requirements elicitation process (REP) to allay the problems of REP regarding knowledge communication. The principal problems with REP are knowledge conflict and the failure to mention a variety of knowledge and requirements changes. Despite of many existing studies relating to KA, inadequate effort has been directed towards investigating the full part played by the KA process in REP. The purpose of this paper is to bridge this gap using a software prototype that uses the KA model in the REP. This study proposes a KA model using an iterative triangulation method. The proposed model is validated through a case study by using a software prototype developed based on the proposed KA model to see if this KA model is effective for software developers in REP by improving the completeness, correctness, and understandability of the elicited requirements knowledge. Research findings are based on responses of 40 respondents from software development organizations. The results of case study confirmed the effectiveness of KA model for REP with respect to completeness, correctness, and understandability. This research answers the call to assess knowledge in REP by developing a KA model and prototype to fill the existing gap in this area. Overall, a KA model for REP is introduced and validated to identify and assess knowledge that supports knowledge communication in REP.

[1]  Chi Fai Cheung,et al.  Assessing Knowledge Assets: Knowledge Audit of a Social Service Organization in Hong Kong , 2010 .

[2]  Rinaldo Pietrantonio,et al.  Assessment of the knowledge management systems in public administrations of Southern Italy , 2007 .

[3]  Rusli Abdullah,et al.  Improving Dynamic Knowledge Movements with a Knowledge-Based Framework during Conceptual Design of a Green Building Project , 2013, Int. J. Knowl. Manag..

[4]  G. Ragsdell,et al.  Knowledge audit: findings from a case study in the energy sector , 2013 .

[5]  Chi Fai Cheung,et al.  Auditing and Mapping the Knowledge Assets of Business Processes - An Empirical Study , 2007, KSEM.

[6]  Ranjit Bose,et al.  Knowledge management metrics , 2004, Ind. Manag. Data Syst..

[7]  Marcos R. S. Borges,et al.  A Collaborative Approach to Requirements Elicitation , 2007, 2007 11th International Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work in Design.

[8]  Mark S. Fox,et al.  The Kowledge-Based Simulation System , 1986, IEEE Software.

[9]  Euiho Suh,et al.  Building the knowledge map: an industrial case study , 2003, J. Knowl. Manag..

[10]  Mario Barcelo-Valenzuela,et al.  A computer prototype to support knowledge audits in organizations , 2009 .

[11]  Yaoguang Hu,et al.  Measuring the performance of knowledge resources using a value perspective: integrating BSC and ANP , 2015, J. Knowl. Manag..

[12]  Hermann Kaindl,et al.  A knowledge management perspective of requirements engineering , 2011, 2011 FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH CHALLENGES IN INFORMATION SCIENCE.

[13]  Chi Fai Cheung,et al.  A systematic approach for knowledge auditing: a case study in transportation sector , 2007, J. Knowl. Manag..

[14]  Tiyun Huang,et al.  The Study on Knowledge Transfer of Software Project Requirements , 2010, 2010 International Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science.

[15]  William M. K. Trochim,et al.  An introduction to concept mapping for planning and evaluation. , 1989 .

[16]  Remko Helms,et al.  Developing a Reference Method for Knowledge Auditing , 2008, PAKM.

[17]  Rusli Abdullah,et al.  Knowledge Sharing Interactions in Collaborative Software Maintenance Environment , 2009, 2009 International Conference on Computer Technology and Development.

[18]  Markus Lumpe,et al.  REInDetector: a framework for knowledge-based requirements engineering , 2012, 2012 Proceedings of the 27th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering.

[19]  Haruhiko Kaiya,et al.  Using Domain Ontology as Domain Knowledge for Requirements Elicitation , 2006, 14th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference (RE'06).

[20]  Martin Davies.  Concept mapping, mind mapping and argument mapping: what are the differences and do they matter? , 2011 .

[21]  Hui Zhang,et al.  Research on Knowledge Creation in Software Requirement Development , 2010, J. Softw. Eng. Appl..

[22]  P. Di Maio.  Knowledge Audit Framework , 2011, ArXiv.

[23]  Ying-Liang Wu,et al.  Research on the Model of Knowledge Audit , 2008, 2008 4th International Conference on Wireless Communications, Networking and Mobile Computing.

[24]  Masrah Azrifah Azmi Murad,et al.  Ontology-based knowledge model for virtual communities profile , 2011, 2011 Malaysian Conference in Software Engineering.

[25]  J. Liebowitz,et al.  Developing knowledge management metrics for measuring intellectual capital , 2000 .

[26]  Aida Suzana Sukiam,et al.  Knowledge Audit on Special Children Communities , 2009, PKAW.

[27]  Haruhiko Kaiya,et al.  Enhancing Domain Knowledge for Requirements Elicitation with Web Mining , 2010, 2010 Asia Pacific Software Engineering Conference.

[28]  Liu Wei,et al.  Heavyweight Semantic Inducement for Requirement Elicitation and Analysis , 2007, Third International Conference on Semantics, Knowledge and Grid (SKG 2007).

[29]  Giovanni Mastroleo,et al.  Measuring intellectual capital in a firm belonging to a strategic alliance , 2015 .

[30]  Rusli Abdullah,et al.  A knowledge audit model to assess the knowledge in requirement elicitation process , 2015, 2015 9th Malaysian Software Engineering Conference (MySEC).

[31]  Meliha Handzic,et al.  Auditing knowledge management practices: model and application , 2008 .

[32]  John Debenham,et al.  The knowledge audit , 1994 .

[33]  Paul Clements,et al.  Models for Evaluating and Improving Architecture Competence , 2008 .

[34]  Rusli Abdullah,et al.  Virtual communities model using ontology of group classification for research communities , 2012, 2012 International Conference on Information Retrieval & Knowledge Management.

[35]  Rusli Abdullah,et al.  Identifying knowledge components in software requirement elicitation , 2014, 2014 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management.

[36]  Jiuling Xiao,et al.  Enterprise knowledge management audit based on processes: Toward an integrated conceptual framework , 2010, 2010 IEEE International Conference on Management of Innovation & Technology.

[37]  Dan Wan,et al.  Knowledge Conversion in Software Requirement Elicitation , 2009, 2009 First International Conference on Information Science and Engineering.

[38]  Marianne W. Lewis.  Iterative triangulation: a theory development process using existing case studies , 1998 .

[39]  Dhanapal Durai Dominic P,et al.  Knowledge audit made comprehensive thru 6 stages , 2011, 2011 International Conference on Research and Innovation in Information Systems.

[40]  Rusli Abdullah,et al.  Meta-analysis of ontology software development process , 2014 .

[41]  Noraini Che Pa,et al.  Measuring communication gap in software requirements elicitation process , 2009, ICSE 2009.

[42]  M. Lindvall,et al.  Knowledge management in software engineering , 2002, IEEE Software.

[43]  David Leake,et al.  Managing, Mapping, and Manipulating Conceptual Knowledge* , 1999 .

[44]  Azeddine Chikh,et al.  A Knowledge Management Framework in Software Requirements Engineering Based on the SECI Model , 2011 .

[45]  Brian R. Gaines,et al.  Knowledge Management for Requirements Engineering , 1997 .

[46]  Chi Fai Cheung,et al.  Systematic Knowledge Auditing: a Case Study in a Power Utility Company , 2007, J. Inf. Knowl. Manag..

[47]  Chi Fai Cheung,et al.  A Systematic Approach for Knowledge Audit Analysis: Integration of Knowledge Inventory, Mapping and Knowledge Flow Analysis , 2004, J. Univers. Comput. Sci..

[48]  Alan M. Davis,et al.  Requirements elicitation and elicitation technique selection: model for two knowledge-intensive software development processes , 2003, 36th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 2003. Proceedings of the.

[49]  Rinaldo Pietrantonio,et al.  Proposal of a knowledge audit metric based upon a compared analysis in private and public organizations , 2006 .

[50]  Marcos R. S. Borges,et al.  Athena: A collaborative approach to requirements elicitation , 2009, Comput. Ind..

[51]  Daniel M. Berry,et al.  The impact of domain knowledge on the effectiveness of requirements idea generation during requirements elicitation , 2012, 2012 20th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference (RE).