Software Engineering: A Practitioner’s Approach, 6/e

Chapter 7
Requirements Engineering
copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005
R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc.

For University Use Only

May be reproduced ONLY for student use at the university level
when used in conjunction with Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach.
Any other reproduction or use is expressly prohibited.

These coursew are materials are to be used in conjunction w ith S oft ware Engineering: A Pract it ioner’s Approach,
6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 1

Requirements Engineering-I
! Inception—
Inception—ask a set of questions that establish …
! basic understanding of the problem
! the people who want a solution
! the nature of the solution that is desired, and
! the effectiveness of preliminary communication and collaboration
between the customer and the developer
! Elicitation—
Elicitation—elicit requirements from all stakeholders
! Elaboration—
Elaboration—create an analysis model that identifies data, function
and behavioral requirements
! Negotiation—
Negotiation—agree on a deliverable system that is realistic for
developers and customers

These coursew are materials are to be used in conjunction w ith S oft ware Engineering: A Pract it ioner’s Approach,
6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 2
 Requirements Engineering-II
! Specification—
Specification—can be any one (or more) of the following:
! A written document
! A set of models
! A formal mathematical
! A collection of user scenarios (use-cases)
! A prototype
! Validation—
Validation—a review mechanism that looks for
! errors in content or interpretation
! areas where clarification may be required
! missing information
! inconsistencies (a major problem when large products or systems
are engineered)
! conflicting or unrealistic (unachievable) requirements.
! Requirements management

These coursew are materials are to be used in conjunction w ith S oft ware Engineering: A Pract it ioner’s Approach,
6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 3

Inception
! Identify stakeholders
! “who else do you think I should talk to?”
to?”
! Recognize multiple points of view
! Work toward collaboration
! The first questions
! Who is behind the request for this work?
! Who will use the solution?
! What will be the economic benefit of a successful solution
! Is there another source for the solution that you need?

These coursew are materials are to be used in conjunction w ith S oft ware Engineering: A Pract it ioner’s Approach,
6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 4
 Eliciting Requirements
! meetings are conducted and attended by both software
engineers and customers
! rules for preparation and participation are established
! an agenda is suggested
! a "facilitator" (can be a customer, a developer, or an outsider)
controls the meeting
! a "definition mechanism" (can be work sheets, flip charts, or wall
stickers or an electronic bulletin board, chat room or virtual
forum) is used
! the goal is
! to identify the problem
! propose elements of the solution
! negotiate different approaches, and
! specify a preliminary set of solution requirements

These coursew are materials are to be used in conjunction w ith S oft ware Engineering: A Pract it ioner’s Approach,
6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 5

Eliciting Requirements

Conduct FAST
meetings

Make lists of
functions, classes

Make lists of
constraints, etc.

formal prioritization?
Elicit r equirements
yes no

Use QFD to informally define actors

prioritize prioritize
requirements requirements

draw use-case
write scenario
diagram

Create Use-cases
complete template

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6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 6
 Quality Function Deployment

! Function deployment determines the “value” (as

perceived by the customer) of each function required of
the system
! Information deployment identifies data objects and
events
! Task deployment examines the behavior of the system
! Value analysis determines the relative priority of
requirements

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6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 7

Elicitation Work Products

! a statement of need and feasibility.
! a bounded statement of scope for the system or product.
! a list of customers, users, and other stakeholders who
participated in requirements elicitation
! a description of the system’
system’s technical environment.
! a list of requirements (preferably organized by function)
and the domain constraints that apply to each.
! a set of usage scenarios that provide insight into the use of
the system or product under different operating
conditions.
! any prototypes developed to better define requirements.
requirements

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 Use-Cases
! A collection of user scenarios that describe the thread of usage of a system
! Each scenario is described from the point-of-view of an “actor”—
actor”—a a person or
device that interacts with the software in some way
! Each scenario answers the following questions:
! Who is the primary actor, the secondary actor (s)?
! What are the actor’
actor’s goals?
! What preconditions should exist before the story begins?
! What main tasks or functions are performed by the actor?
! What exceptions might be considered as the story is described?
! What variations in the actor’
actor’s interaction are possible?
! What system information will the actor acquire, produce, or change?
! Will the actor have to inform the system about changes in the external environment?
! What information does the actor desire from the system?
! Does the actor wish to be informed about unexpected changes?

These coursew are materials are to be used in conjunction w ith S oft ware Engineering: A Pract it ioner’s Approach,
6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 9

Use-Case Diagram
Arms/disarms
system

Accesses system sensors

via Internet

homeowner

Responds to
alarm event

Encounters an
error condition

system Reconfigures sensors

administrator and related
system features

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6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 10
 Building the Analysis Model
! Elements of the analysis model
! Scenario-based elements
! Functional—
Functional—processing narratives for software functions
! Use-case—
Use-case—descriptions of the interaction between an
“actor”
actor” and the system
! Class-based elements
! Implied by scenarios
! Behavioral elements
! State diagram
! Flow-oriented elements
! Data flow diagram

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6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 11

Class Diagram
From the SafeHome system …

Sensor

name/id
type
location
area
characteristics

identify()
enable()
disable()
reconfigure()

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 State Diagram
Reading
Initialization
commands not jammed

turn copier subsystems

system status=“not ready” system status=“Ready” paper full
“on“ ready
display msg = “please wait” display msg = “enter cmd”
display status = blinking display status = steady

entry/ switch machine on entry/ subsystems ready

do: run diagnostics do: poll user input panel
do: initiate all subsystems do: read user input
do: interpret user input

turn copier “off”

start copies

Making copies load paper

copies complete
system status=“Copying”
system status=“load paper”
display msg= “copy count =”
display msg= “load paper”
display message=#copies paper tray empty display status= blinking
display status= steady

entry/ start copies paper jammed entry/ paper empty

do: manage copying do: lower paper tray
do: monitor paper tray do: monitor fill switch
do: monitor paper flow problem diagnosis do: raise paper tray

system status=“Jammed”
display msg= “paper jam”
display message=location
display status= blinking not jammed

entry/ paper jammed

do: determine location
do: provide corrective msg.
do: interrupt making copies

Figure 7.6 Preliminary UML state diagram for a photocopier

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Analysis Patterns
Pattern name: A descriptor that captures the essence of the pattern.
Intent: Describes what the pattern accomplishes or represents
Motivation: A scenario that illustrates how the pattern can be used to address the
problem.
Forces and context: A description of external issues (forces) that can affect how the
pattern is used and also the external issues that will be resolved when the pattern is
applied.
Solution: A description of how the pattern is applied to solve the problem with an
emphasis on structural and behavioral issues.
Consequences:
Consequences: Addresses what happens when the pattern is applied and what
trade-offs exist during its application.
Design:
Design: Discusses how the analysis pattern can be achieved through the use of
known design patterns.
Known uses:
uses: Examples of uses within actual systems.
Related patterns:
patterns: One or more analysis patterns that are related to the named
pattern because (1) it is commonly used with the named pattern; (2) it is structurally
similar to the named pattern; (3) it is a variation of the named pattern.

These coursew are materials are to be used in conjunction w ith S oft ware Engineering: A Pract it ioner’s Approach,
6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 14
 Negotiating Requirements
! Identify the key stakeholders
! These are the people who will be involved in the negotiation
! Determine each of the stakeholders “win conditions”
! Win conditions are not always obvious
! Negotiate
! Work toward a set of requirements that lead to “win-win”
win-win”

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6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 15

Validating Requirements-I
! Is each requirement consistent with the overall objective for the
system/product?
! Have all requirements been specified at the proper level of
abstraction? That is, do some requirements provide a level of
technical detail that is inappropriate at this stage?
! Is the requirement really necessary or does it represent an add-on
feature that may not be essential to the objective of the system?
! Is each requirement bounded and unambiguous?
! Does each requirement have attribution? That is, is a source
(generally, a specific individual) noted for each requirement?
! Do any requirements conflict with other requirements?

These coursew are materials are to be used in conjunction w ith S oft ware Engineering: A Pract it ioner’s Approach,
6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 16
 Validating Requirements-II
! Is each requirement achievable in the technical environment that will house
the system or product?
! Is each requirement testable, once implemented?
! Does the requirements model properly reflect the information, function
and behavior of the system to be built.
! Has the requirements model been “partitioned”
partitioned” in a way that exposes
progressively more detailed information about the system.
! Have requirements patterns been used to simplify the requirements model.
Have all patterns been properly validated? Are all patterns consistent with
customer requirements?

These coursew are materials are to be used in conjunction w ith S oft ware Engineering: A Pract it ioner’s Approach,
6/e and are provided w ith permission by R.S. Pressman & Associates, Inc., copyright © 1996, 2001, 2005 17