A tool for guiding group requirements elicitation techniques

Abstract

Nowadays, the failure of software system is mostly because of problems in stating system requirements. Requirements elicitation done in groups is better since groups can generate more ideas with more skills, expertise and knowledge, more effective work division, and more strengths to reject incorrect ideas and correct errors in achieving resolution. At present, more companies turn to elicitation group environment to reduce communication problems among participants. However, the practical details about these group elicitation techniques are still lack of reference and guidance. Therefore, this situation encourages toward the development of a tool to guide on group requirements elicitation techniques. The tool is available online since e-learning environment has become todays and future method of studying. Normally, group techniques involved facilitators. Thus, this research investigates a number of facilitated group elicitation techniques. It discusses the requirement elicitation activities in group starting from setting the system objectives until collecting requirements. Then, the study makes comparisons among the group techniques and identifies certain criteria for a checklist. The checklist extends the capability of the tool by allowing the users to obtain a suggestion of suitable group elicitation techniques that they should use to gather requirements. The tool is developed by using Adobe Flash and Php/MySQL software and specially designed for those who need to elicit system requirements by using group techniques. A total of 24 participants in software engineering and computer sciences field involved in the testing of this tool.