PABRE: Pattern-based Requirements Elicitation

This paper presents our PABRE method for facilitating Requirements Elicitation on the basis of Requirement Patterns with the goal of saving time and reducing errors during this activity. The process presented applies for elicitation in Off-The-Shelf selection projects driven by call for tenders processes and uses a Requirement Patterns Catalogue. The process selects patterns from the catalogue that apply to the particular selection project, and convert them into the real requirements that finally configure the project Requirements Book. We show some benefits of the pattern approach for requirements engineers and IT consultants, as well as for customers. Finally we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal and identify some future work.

[1]  Armin Eberlein,et al.  COTS Selection: Past, Present, and Future , 2007, 14th Annual IEEE International Conference and Workshops on the Engineering of Computer-Based Systems (ECBS'07).

[2]  Ian Sommerville,et al.  Integrated requirements engineering: a tutorial , 2005, IEEE Software.

[3]  Alexander Egyed,et al.  Identifying requirements conflicts and cooperation: how quality attributes and automated traceability can help , 2004, IEEE Software.

[4]  Marco Torchiano,et al.  Overlooked aspects of COTS-based development , 2004, IEEE Software.

[5]  Jacob L. Cybulski,et al.  Requirements Classification and Reuse: Crossing Domain Boundaries , 2000, ICSR.

[6]  Ambrosio Toval,et al.  Metamodeling Variability to Enable Requirements Reuse , 2008, EMMSAD.

[7]  Jens Vium.  Experiences from a Tender Process , 2004 .

[8]  Neil A. M. Maiden,et al.  Acquiring COTS Software Selection Requirements , 1998, IEEE Softw..

[9]  Anna Rita Fasolino,et al.  Lo Standard ISO/IEC 9126 – Software engineering – Product Quality , 2010 .

[10]  Reidar Conradi,et al.  An empirical study of variations in COTS-based software development processes in the Norwegian IT industry , 2004, 10th International Symposium on Software Metrics, 2004. Proceedings..

[11]  Marco Torchiano,et al.  A State-of-the-Practice Survey of Risk Management in Development with Off-the-Shelf Software Components , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering.

[12]  Christopher G. Lasater,et al.  Design Patterns , 2008, Wiley Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Engineering.

[13]  Indrajit Ray,et al.  Building Security Requirement Patterns for Increased Effectiveness Early in the Development Process , 2005 .

[14]  Betty H. C. Cheng,et al.  Requirements patterns for embedded systems , 2002, Proceedings IEEE Joint International Conference on Requirements Engineering.

[15]  Rahul De',et al.  Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication PrinciplesOpen source reuse in commercial firms , 2004, IEEE Software.

[16]  Carme Quer,et al.  Requirements Patterns for COTS Systems , 2008, Seventh International Conference on Composition-Based Software Systems (ICCBSS 2008).

[17]  L'ubor Sesera,et al.  Analysis Patterns , 2000, SOFSEM.

[18]  Suzanne Robertson,et al.  Mastering the Requirements Process , 1999 .

[19]  Christopher Alexander,et al.  The Timeless Way of Building , 1979 .

[20]  Julio Cesar Sampaio do Prado Leite,et al.  On Non-Functional Requirements in Software Engineering , 2009, Conceptual Modeling: Foundations and Applications.

[21]  T. R. Madanmohan.  Open Source Reuse in Commercial Firms Using Open Source Components Raises Many Issues, from Requirements Negotiation to Product Selection and Integration. a Recent Study of Projects Using Open Source Revealed Component Selection Criteria, Best Practices, and Other Related Issues , 2022 .

[22]  Barry W. Boehm,et al.  COTS-Based Systems Top 10 List , 2001, Computer.

[23]  Betty H. C. Cheng,et al.  Research Directions in Requirements Engineering , 2007, Future of Software Engineering (FOSE '07).

[24]  Antonio Ruiz Cortés,et al.  A Requirements Elicitation Approach Based in Templates and Patterns , 1999, WER.

[25]  John A. McDermid,et al.  Ten steps towards systematic requirements reuse , 2008, Requirements Engineering.

[26]  Suzanne Robertson,et al.  Requirements Patterns Via Events/Use Cases , 1996 .

[27]  M. Krystkowiak.  Efficient COTS selection with OPAL tool , 2004, ICSE 2004.

[28]  David M. Weiss,et al.  Software Product Line Engineering , 2005, SEKE.

[29]  J. M. Singer,et al.  IEEE Recommended Practice for Software Requirements SpeciÞcations , 1993 .

[30]  Cyril S. Ku,et al.  Design Patterns , 2008, Wiley Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Engineering.

[31]  Jyrki Kontio,et al.  A case study in applying a systematic method for COTS selection , 1996, Proceedings of IEEE 18th International Conference on Software Engineering.

[32]  David J. Carney,et al.  What Do You Mean by COTS? Finally, a Useful Answer , 2000, IEEE Softw..

[33]  Armin Eberlein,et al.  Matching Requirements with Off-the-shelf Components at the Architectural Level , 2007 .

[34]  Carme Quer,et al.  Managing Non-Technical Requirements in COTS Components Selection , 2006, 14th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference (RE'06).