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Where Do We Stand in Requirements Engineering Improvement Today? First Results from a Mapping Study
Joint work withD. Mendez, Technische Universität MünchenS. Ognawala, Technische Universität MünchenM. Daneva, University of Twente
Stefan WagnerUniversity of Stuttgart
Germany
ESEM 2014Torino, Italy
@prof_wagnerst
Notion of RE quality and its improvement
Socio-economic context
RE “Best Practice” Norm
Goals,expectations,
…
1. Solution orientation (Also: “normative”, “prescriptive”)
2. Problem orientation(Also: “Inductive”)
Paradigms (simplified)
A
A. Activity orientation
B
B. Artefact orientation
Serves as Orientation
SteerAssess/Benchmark
RE reference modelAdopt
RE improvement principles
Paradigms and principles The ugly truth remains...
Problem: Little knowledge about the
• state of the art in requirements engineering improvement approaches
• state of empirical evidence
Objectives: Explore the publication space
Weapon of choice: Systematic mapping study
RE improvement todayResearch questions
RQ1. Of what type is the research?
RQ2. Which process improvement phases are considered?
RQ3. What paradigms do the publications focus on?
RQ4. Are the underlying principles of normative or of problem-driven nature?
Study designOverview
RQ1. Of what type is the research?RQ2. Which process improvement phases are considered?RQ3. What paradigms do the publications focus on?
Interested in the protocol? Read the paper… ;-)
RQ4. Are the underlying principles of normative or of problem-driven nature?
Results
RQ1. Of what type is the research?RQ2. Which process improvement phases are considered?RQ3. What paradigms do the publications focus on?RQ4. Are the underlying principles of normative or of problem-driven nature?
Validation
Evaluation
Philosophical
Opinion
Experience
Exploratory
Solution
1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012Analysis Construction REPI-LC ValidationDistribution per YearContribution Phase
1
21 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
2
3
1
3
3
2
43
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1 1
431
9
4
1
1
24
17
2
1
1
1
5
3
4
2
1
18
11
1
1
6 3
2 21638
Validation
Evaluation
Philosophical
Opinion
Experience
Exploratory
Solution
1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012Analysis Construction REPI-LC ValidationDistribution per YearContribution Phase
1
21 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
2
3
1
3
3
2
43
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1 1
431
1
1
1
5
3
4
2
1
18
11
1
1
6 3
2 21638
Results
RQ1. Of what type is the research?RQ2. Which process improvement phases are considered?RQ3. What paradigms do the publications focus on?RQ4. Are the underlying principles of normative or of problem-driven nature?
Validation
Evaluation
Philosophical
Opinion
Experience
Exploratory
Solution
1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012Analysis Construction REPI-LC ValidationDistribution per YearContribution Phase
1
21 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
2
3
1
3
3
2
43
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1 1
431
9
4
1
1
24
17
2
1
1
1
5
3
4
2
1
18
11
1
1
6 3
2 21638
Results
Validation
Evaluation
Philosophical
Opinion
Experience
Exploratory
Solution
1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012Analysis Construction REPI-LC ValidationDistribution per YearContribution Phase
1
21 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
2
3
1
3
3
2
43
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1 1
431
9
4
1
1
24
17
2
Results
RQ1. Of what type is the research?RQ2. Which process improvement phases are considered?RQ3. What paradigms do the publications focus on?RQ4. Are the underlying principles of normative or of problem-driven nature?
Validation
Evaluation
Philosophical
Opinion
Experience
Exploratory
Solution
1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012Analysis Construction REPI-LC ValidationDistribution per YearContribution Phase
1
21 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
2
3
1
3
3
2
43
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1 1
431
9
4
1
1
24
17
2
1
1
1
5
3
4
2
1
18
11
1
1
6 3
2 21638
Results
RQ1. Of what type is the research?RQ2. Which process improvement phases are considered?RQ3. What paradigms do the publications focus on?RQ4. Are the underlying principles of normative or of problem-driven nature?
N/A
Normative Problem-Driven
ArtefactOrientation
ActivityOrientation
RE improvementConclusions
• “Healthy” distribution of approaches with many concepts
• Most papers focus on activity-based and normative approaches
»Focus on assessment against activity-based best practice norms
»Triggered by “best practice movement”?
»Little known about benefits and limitations of
»available improvement principles
»available paradigms
13
• Explore principles of artefact-based and problem-driven REPI
• Determine reliable measurements of improvement success
• Evaluate improvement principles in comparative manner
Future research
You are cordially invited to join us!
Stefan Wagner
@prof_wagnerst
Thank you!
