Examining human and technical impact on software development

There is a considerable amount of interaction between RE and SA due to their close proximity in the life cycle. Even though both have been researched with respect to new technology such as methods, tools and processes, there is a dearth of knowledge based on empirical evidence.

With this in mind, the EU-funded RESACS (Requirements engineering and systems architecting case studies) project set out to better understand this RE-SA interaction in order to advance knowledge and deliver more effective real-world solutions. To achieve this, project members mainly carried out a series of case studies on RE-SA interactions.

Several studies concentrated on the human and technical issues that impact RE-SA interaction. This led to a theory that presents a number of conditions to enhance RE and SA processes. It also outlines the socioeconomic implications for daily operations and research.

The team devised a checklist for the specification of software requirements that targets analysts and quality assurance personnel. It is designed to avoid issues later in the development cycle.

Research was carried out to determine the barriers to regulatory and standards compliance for RE processes, specifically for a large-scale and complex systems engineering project.

RESACS has provided researchers with a solid knowledge base to further study of the RE-SA field. Management and senior technical personnel are in a better position to perform RE and SA processes. The use of an established checklist will lead to higher quality software systems, optimised project timelines and lower software development costs. Analysts and relevant stakeholders now know the risks involved in modifying and implementing new requirements. This will prove invaluable for negotiation with customers.