Norbert Seyff

Using Mobile RE Tools to Give End-Users Their Own Voice

Researchers highlight end-user involvement in system design as an important concept for developing useful and usable solutions. However, end-user involvement in software engineering is still an open-ended topic. Novel paradigms such as service-oriented computing strengthen the need for more active end-user involvement in order to provide systems that are tailored to individual end-user needs. Our work is based on the fact that the majority of end-users are familiar with mobile devices and use an increasing number of mobile applications. A mobile tool enabling end-user led requirements elicitation could be just one of many applications installed on end-users’ mobile devices. In this paper, we present a framework of end-user involvement in requirements elicitation which motivates our research. The main contribution of our research is a tool-supported requirements elicitation approach allowing end-users to document needs in situ. Furthermore, we present first evaluation results to highlight the feasibility of on-site end-user led requirements elicitation.

Exploring how to use scenarios to discover requirements

This paper investigates the effectiveness of different uses of scenarios on requirements discovery using results from requirements processes in two projects. The first specified requirements on a new aircraft management system at a regional UK airport to reduce its environmental impact. The second specified new work-based learning tools to be adopted by a consortium of organizations. In both projects scenarios were walked through both in facilitated workshops and in the stakeholders’ workplaces using different forms of a scenario tool. In the second project, scenarios were also walked through with a software prototype and creativity prompts. Results revealed both qualitative and quantitative differences in discovered requirements that have potential implications for models of scenario-based requirements discovery and the design of scenario tools.

Making Mobile Requirements Engineering Tools Usable and Useful

Recent advances in mobile computing technologies mean that mobile tools have the potential to support scenario-based techniques in the workplace, with potential benefits to requirements processes. However, mobile requirements engineering (RE) tools are a new idea, and little is known about their advantages and weaknesses. This paper reports empirical research to explore the use of mobile RE tools in practice. It describes a mobile scenario tool that we developed to discover requirements directly in the users work context. It also describes the results from 3 evaluation studies that demonstrate that these tools can support workplace requirements discovery and documentation, although mobile RE tools pose new challenges that remain to be overcome

Requirements engineering tools go mobile

Software tools that support or automate software engineering tasks are typically available on traditional desktop-based workstations. In contrast, mobile tools for requirements engineers offer considerable potential. In the last few years the capabilities of mobile devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) have advanced considerably. These devices now provide faster processing, increased storage, and improved connectivity. Hence, mobile computing will become a dominant computing paradigm. These developments let us envision mobile tools for RE that are sophisticated enough to be used in real-world projects.

End-user requirements blogging with iRequire

End-user involvement in software engineering is an ambivalent topic. However, novel paradigms such as service-oriented computing suggest more active end-user involvement to gather individual needs for software personalization. In this paper, we present a mobile requirements elicitation tool which enables end-users to blog needs in situ without analysts facilitation.

Mobile Discovery of Requirements for Context-Aware Systems

Understanding the work context of future system users is essential in requirements engineering. It is particularly crucial when developing ubiquitous systems that react on context changes. This paper discusses the need for in-situ requirements elicitation approaches to build mobile and context-aware systems. We identify three different levels of support: The first level covers contextual techniques without tool support. Second level support is based on existing RE approaches and mobile tools. Third level support utilizes context-aware tools receiving context-specific information to guide analysts in the field. These tools enhance requirements gathering for ubiquitous systems. We present a context-aware tool prototype for on-site scenario walkthroughs and discuss how the underlying scenario-based approach needs to be adapted. Our tool-based approach was tested in an initial evaluation study. Finally, the paper presents requirements for RE approaches supporting ubiquitous system development based on lessons learned from using level II and III tools.

Making every student a winner: The WinWin approach in software engineering education

In this paper we show how Theory-W and the WinWin requirements negotiation approach have influenced software engineering education in a number of institutions worldwide. After a short summary of Theory-W and the WinWin negotiation model, processes, and tools the paper discusses how students can benefit from WinWin in their software engineering education. We explore different options for teaching the approach and present concrete examples and experiences from different universities

Determining Stakeholder Needs in the Workplace: How Mobile Technologies Can Help

Mobile technologies offer exciting new opportunities to improve important requirements processes. However, providing usable, useful mobile requirements engineering (RE) tools is challenging due to mobile devices limitations and limited knowledge on successfully using mobile RE tools in the field. You can use the reported lessons learned as an initial guide to develop and use mobile RE tools successfully. We believe that mobile RE tools will complement rather than replace traditional approaches, and the combination of context-aware and conventional elicitation and negotiation approaches has the potential to improve the quality of requirements. Evaluation studies also revealed several issues, including biases arising from the limited information available on mobile devices; integrated training, process guidance, and tool support for analysts; and guidance for end users to discover and document their own requirements. Further work in the mobile RE field is needed to address these issues. Mobile RE tools help elicit stakeholder heeds in the workplace. The authors discuss lessons learned that practitioners can adopt and use in their work

Scenarios in the Wild: Experiences with a Contextual Requirements Discovery Method

[Context and motivation] A number of ethnographic approaches are available to gather requirements where they emerge, i.e. in the workplace of future system users. [Question/problem] Most of these approaches do not provide guidance and software tool support for on-site analysts. [Principal ideas/results] In this paper we present a tool-supported contextual method that combines key benefits of contextual inquiry and scenario-based techniques. It aims to improve guidance and support for on-site analysts performing a contextual requirements discovery. [Contribution] We applied this method in the Austrian Alps to discover stakeholders requirements for a ski tour navigation system. This paper reports on this inquiry and analyses its results. Moreover, we discuss lessons learned and conclusions.

The Mobile Scenario Presenter: integrating contextual inquiry and structured walkthroughs

Rapid advances in the capabilities of mobile computing devices provide new opportunities to overcome limitations with existing desktop-based requirements engineering tools. In particular mobile tools allow analysts to take acquisition, analysis and modelling tools to the stakeholders in their workplace, with potential benefits for requirements completeness and correctness. In this paper we describe the Mobile Scenario Presenter, an extension to the ART-SCENE environment designed to undertake scenario walkthroughs in the workplace using mobile computing devices, report some lessons learned during the design of the tool, and discuss future research directions.