The document discusses social and cultural issues that can arise in requirements engineering. It identifies six areas where social issues may occur: within the client organization, within the requirements team, between the client and requirements team, between the development and requirements teams, within the development team, and between the development team and client. Cultural issues can also emerge from differences in time zones, language, religion, ethics, politics, and business environments when organizations collaborate across borders. Addressing these issues requires understanding differences, avoiding offensive remarks, focusing on customer needs, and using technology to facilitate cross-border collaboration.

1. Social and Cultural Issues inSocial and Cultural Issues in
Requirements EngineeringRequirements Engineering

2. IntroductionIntroduction
 Some aspects of the requirementsSome aspects of the requirements
engineering process deal with social andengineering process deal with social and
cultural issuescultural issues
 What is the best way to deal with theseWhat is the best way to deal with these
issues?issues?

3. IntroductionIntroduction
 Some think that these issues fall outsideSome think that these issues fall outside
the scope of requirements engineeringthe scope of requirements engineering
process, and fall under management,process, and fall under management,
interpersonal skills, or ethics.interpersonal skills, or ethics.
 Another point of view is that these issuesAnother point of view is that these issues
are very much part of the requirementsare very much part of the requirements
engineering process and if not accountedengineering process and if not accounted
for can negatively impact the desiredfor can negatively impact the desired
software systemsoftware system

4. Social IssuesSocial Issues

5. Social Issues in RESocial Issues in RE
 Requirements engineering is a socialRequirements engineering is a social
process, as it involves interaction amongprocess, as it involves interaction among
clients, engineers, and other systems.clients, engineers, and other systems.
 Requirements engineering is not anRequirements engineering is not an
entirely formal process, because itentirely formal process, because it
involves discovering client needs andinvolves discovering client needs and
reconciling them with technicalreconciling them with technical
possibilities.possibilities.

6. Stakeholders in RE ProcessStakeholders in RE Process
 At least there are three major groupsAt least there are three major groups
participate in requirements engineeringparticipate in requirements engineering
process;process;

The client organizationThe client organization

The requirements teamThe requirements team

The development teamThe development team
 There may be other interested parties,There may be other interested parties,
e.g., regulatory authoritiese.g., regulatory authorities

7. Six Areas of Social IssuesSix Areas of Social Issues
1.1. Within the client organization.Within the client organization.
2.2. Within the requirements team.Within the requirements team.
3.3. Between the client and the requirements team.Between the client and the requirements team.
4.4. Between the development and requirements teamsBetween the development and requirements teams
5.5. Within the development team.Within the development team.
6.6. Between the development team and the client.Between the development team and the client.

8. 1-1- Issues within the Client OrganizationIssues within the Client Organization
 In a large organization, there are usuallyIn a large organization, there are usually
competing divisions or groups, so the notion ofcompeting divisions or groups, so the notion of
‘the client’‘the client’ is not obviousis not obvious
 Intended users of the system may be differentIntended users of the system may be different
people from the ones who interact with thepeople from the ones who interact with the
requirements teamrequirements team

9. 1-1- Issues within the Client OrganizationIssues within the Client Organization
 The users of the system should be broughtThe users of the system should be brought
into the requirement engineering process,into the requirement engineering process,
as they hold the key of the eventualas they hold the key of the eventual
success of the software engineeringsuccess of the software engineering
project.project.
 The requirement process reveals theThe requirement process reveals the
problems within the client organization,problems within the client organization,
which must be addressed by facilitatingwhich must be addressed by facilitating
communication among differentcommunication among different
stakeholders.stakeholders.

10. 1-1- Issues within the Client OrganizationIssues within the Client Organization
 The problems within the client organization mustThe problems within the client organization must
not be buried, as they effect the implementationnot be buried, as they effect the implementation
of the project.of the project.
 The new automated system may have profoundThe new automated system may have profound
impact on how the business is conducted or howimpact on how the business is conducted or how
information is classified within the organization.information is classified within the organization.
 Success of the project requires that everySuccess of the project requires that every
group within the organization understandgroup within the organization understand
different aspects of the new system.different aspects of the new system.
 Problems of tacit (silent) knowledge.Problems of tacit (silent) knowledge.

11. 2-2- Issues within the Requirements TeamIssues within the Requirements Team
 How work is organized?How work is organized?
 What methods and notations are used?What methods and notations are used?
 What team members think aboutWhat team members think about
organization and how jelledorganization and how jelled
(work together) requirement team is?(work together) requirement team is?

12. 3-3- Issues between Client OrganizationIssues between Client Organization
and Requirements Teamand Requirements Team
 Financial arrangementsFinancial arrangements
 Ethical obligationsEthical obligations
 Legal safeguardsLegal safeguards
 Personal relationshipsPersonal relationships
 Denial (refusal) of informationDenial (refusal) of information
 Management of changesManagement of changes

13. 4-4- Issues between Development andIssues between Development and
Requirement TeamsRequirement Teams
 Development team needs to work veryDevelopment team needs to work very
closely with the requirements team toclosely with the requirements team to
resolve inconsistencies and to get details.resolve inconsistencies and to get details.
 In some cases, requirements team mayIn some cases, requirements team may
be disbanded(break up) or assigned otherbe disbanded(break up) or assigned other
tasks.tasks.

14. 5-5- Issues Within the development teamIssues Within the development team
 Team members may be demoralizedTeam members may be demoralized
 There may be high turn over rateThere may be high turn over rate
 The deadlines may slipThe deadlines may slip
 Developers dislike documentationDevelopers dislike documentation

15. 6-6- Between the development team andBetween the development team and
the clientthe client
 Development teams may have toDevelopment teams may have to
communicate with clients directly, to gaincommunicate with clients directly, to gain
better understanding of the project’sbetter understanding of the project’s
possibilities and limitations, both for initialpossibilities and limitations, both for initial
development and maintenancedevelopment and maintenance

16. Cultural Issues in RECultural Issues in RE

17. Cultural Issues in RECultural Issues in RE
 Advances in the internet andAdvances in the internet and
communication technologies has enabledcommunication technologies has enabled
customers and developers to collaboratecustomers and developers to collaborate
with each other in geographically andwith each other in geographically and
temporally dispersed environmentstemporally dispersed environments

18. Cultural Issues in RECultural Issues in RE
There may beThere may be
1.1. Time zones differencesTime zones differences
2.2. Language and terminology differencesLanguage and terminology differences
3.3. Religious and racial differencesReligious and racial differences
4.4. Ethical issuesEthical issues
5.5. Political differencesPolitical differences
6.6. Differences in business environmentDifferences in business environment

19. 1-1- Differences in Time ZonesDifferences in Time Zones
 Working hours of clients and developersWorking hours of clients and developers
may differ by eight hours or more.may differ by eight hours or more.
 Arranging phone calls and videoArranging phone calls and video
conferences become a hassle as oneconferences become a hassle as one
party has to come to office very early orparty has to come to office very early or
stay very late.stay very late.

20. 2-2- Language and TerminologyLanguage and Terminology
DifferencesDifferences
 Advances in the internet andAdvances in the internet and
communication technologies has enabledcommunication technologies has enabled
customers and developers to collaboratecustomers and developers to collaborate
with each other in geographically andwith each other in geographically and
temporally dispersed environmentstemporally dispersed environments

21. 2-2- Language and TerminologyLanguage and Terminology
DifferencesDifferences
 People and government in the US, andPeople and government in the US, and
worldwide scientific community considerworldwide scientific community consider
the following number to be a billionthe following number to be a billion
1,00,00,00,0001,00,00,00,000
 For the rest of the world, a billion isFor the rest of the world, a billion is
10,00,00,00,00,00010,00,00,00,00,000

22. 2-2- Language and TerminologyLanguage and Terminology
DifferencesDifferences
 Globally, people communicate with fellowGlobally, people communicate with fellow
citizens using sports lingo to conveycitizens using sports lingo to convey
certain situations and concepts, even incertain situations and concepts, even in
the business environmentthe business environment
 This can cause misunderstandingsThis can cause misunderstandings
 Use of the word ‘hockey’ inUse of the word ‘hockey’ in PakistanPakistan andand
USUS means two different sports:means two different sports:
‘field hockey’‘field hockey’ andand ‘ice hockey’‘ice hockey’ respectivelyrespectively

23. 3-3- Religious and Racial DifferencesReligious and Racial Differences
 insensible comments on religious andinsensible comments on religious and
racial backgrounds of people involved inracial backgrounds of people involved in
software engineering projects can becomesoftware engineering projects can become
a major hindrance in the successfula major hindrance in the successful
execution of the requirements engineeringexecution of the requirements engineering
processprocess

24. 4-4- Ethical IssuesEthical Issues
 Access to confidential client informationAccess to confidential client information
 Possibility of elimination of jobsPossibility of elimination of jobs
 Differences of opinions with the client onDifferences of opinions with the client on
the projectthe project

25. 5-5- Political DifferencesPolitical Differences
 Differences in political ideologies andDifferences in political ideologies and
personal conviction(belief) can also lead topersonal conviction(belief) can also lead to
unprofessional environment in theunprofessional environment in the
execution of the requirements engineeringexecution of the requirements engineering
processprocess
 Some people do not want to work onSome people do not want to work on
military software programsmilitary software programs

26. 6-6- Differences in BusinessDifferences in Business
EnvironmentsEnvironments
 Every society has its own culture withinEvery society has its own culture within
the business community, which must bethe business community, which must be
understood for successful execution of theunderstood for successful execution of the
requirements engineering process.requirements engineering process.

27. AddressingAddressing
Social and Cultural IssuesSocial and Cultural Issues

28. AddressingAddressing Social and Cultural IssuesSocial and Cultural Issues
 Understand social and cultural issues andUnderstand social and cultural issues and
differences.differences.
 Avoid judgmental(negative) commentsAvoid judgmental(negative) comments
and offensive(hateful) remarks on un-and offensive(hateful) remarks on un-
related views and beliefs of others.related views and beliefs of others.
 Create an environment of respect andCreate an environment of respect and
professionalism.professionalism.
 Focus on discovering the needs of theFocus on discovering the needs of the
customers.customers.
 Use state-of-the-art technology to facilitateUse state-of-the-art technology to facilitate
activities in the requirements engineeringactivities in the requirements engineering
process.process.

29. SummarySummary
 Requirements engineering is not a strictlyRequirements engineering is not a strictly
formal process, there may be some socialformal process, there may be some social
and cultural side effects in this process.and cultural side effects in this process.
 Requirements engineers must understandRequirements engineers must understand
different aspects of these issues anddifferent aspects of these issues and
address them in the requirementsaddress them in the requirements
engineering process.engineering process.