The document discusses a method for eliciting implicit requirements from rule deviations in IT ecosystems. It defines an IT ecosystem as a large-scale software system consisting of many integrated actors. Requirements elicitation is challenging due to lack of user awareness/interest. The method involves defining initial rules, monitoring for deviations, and extracting new requirements from patterns in deviations. It is still being researched through a prototype but shows promise for improving requirements elicitation in complex, emergent systems.

1. Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation Leif Singer, Olesia Brill, Sebastian Meyer, Kurt Schneider Software Engineering Group Leibniz Universität Hannover {leif.singer, olesia.brill, sebastian.meyer, kurt.schneider}@inf.uni-hannover.de

2. Overview Definition of an IT ecosystem Ourapproach Short Example Open Questions Ongoingresearch Conclusions Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 2 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider

3. Whatis an IT ecosystem? An IT ecosystem is an ultra-large-scalesoftwaresystem consists of a large number of actors The technologyof an IT ecosystemistightlyintegratedintoeverydayslife may not beperceivedas an IT system usersmay not knowoforare not interested in thecapabilitiesofthesystem Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 3 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider

4. Actors in IT ecosystems An IT ecosystemconsistsofvariousactors An actorcanbe an technicalsubsystem E.g. trafficlights An actorcan also be an autonomousagent Like a human end useror a transportrobot Eachactorusestheinfrastructurethatisofferedbythe IT ecosystemtoachievetheirgoals Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 4 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider

5. Problems in RequirementElicitation Requirements (for IT ecosystems) havetobedefinedandvalidatedby all stakeholders End usersmay not beawareofthesurroundingsystem Orare not interested in it Thosearetheinterestingstakeholdersforus The lack ofinterestorawarenessresults in toolittlemotivationfortakingpart in classicalelicitation Making thefindingofnewrequirementsandvalidationofexistingrequirementsdifficult Methodsforrequirementselicitationshouldbeasunobstrusiveaspossible in order tobeuseful in thissetting Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 5 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider

6. Rule-based IT ecosystems Interaction ofsubsystems must becontrolled in order tokeepthe IT ecosystemupandrunning The interactionoftheactorscanleadtouncontrolledemergenteffects A rule-basedinfrastructurecanhelptominimizetheimpactofunwantedeffects Rules havetobeseparatedintohardruleswhich must beadheredtoandruleswhichmaybebroken Actors must usethe IT ecosystem‘sinfrastructuretocommunicatewitheachother Thiscanbeusedtoensureruleadherence Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 6 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider

7. Iterative processofrefiningrequirements Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 7 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider Initial Rule Set introduced Requirementsexpressed as Rules Users developnewRequirements Addition/Modification of Rules User BehaviordeviatesfromRules RequirementsEngineerreviewsDeviations System logs deviations Preprocessing of Deviations

8. ObservingRuleDeviations Autonomousactorscandecideto break rules Thosedeviationscanbemonitoredbytheinfrastructure Eachdeviationof a ruleisloggedwith an associatedcontext If a ruleisadheredto, thisis also loggedtoget a relative measurementofruledeviations The loggedruledeviationscanbeusedtoextractneworrefinedrequirements Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 8 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider

9. ExtractionofRequirements Breaking of rules may imply errors in the underlying requirements Autonomousagentsthat break a rulearenormally not interested in creatingnewrequirements Thereforeweneed an unobtrusiveapproach Based on theloggeddeviations, patternscanautomaticallybederived E.g. usinginformationretrievaltechniques The actualextractionofrequirementsfromthesefilteredruledeviationshastobedonemanually Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 9 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider

10. Example Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 10 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider Rule: AllocateparkinglotneartheentrancetotheSmartFair

11. Example Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 11 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider Rule: AllocateparkinglotneartheentrancetotheSmartFair

12. Example Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 12 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider Rule: AllocateparkinglotneartheentrancetotheSmartFair Observation: Drivers chooseparking lots whichare in theshadows New Rule: On sunnydays, allocateparkinglot in theshadows.

13. Open Questions Whataretherequirementsfor a rule-basedinfrastructure? Distinctionbetweenhardrules / soft goalssufficient? Whatis a rightcontext? Howcanwederiveitfor a deviation? Is thecontextdefinedbytheecosystemorbytheactorsitself? Possible Solution: Use an ontologythatrelatesobjectsanddata. A ruledeviationcan log whichobjectsparticipated in thedeviationandcreatethecorrectcontext Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 13 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider

14. Ongoingresearch The presented approach is still in its early stages and could not be evaluated yet. In a joint project with two other universities from Lower Saxony we are currently creating the foundations for a prototype that will be used to evaluate the presented approach. The current focus is building a suitable rule-system supporting the approach. Subsequently, data mining and pattern recognition techniques will be selected and evaluated to derive the potential changes in requirementsfromruledeviations. Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 14 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider

15. Conclusions In IT ecosystems, the main interest of end users is deriving actual utility from the system Due to emergent effects of many actors interacting with each other, requirements for an IT ecosystem are changing Requirements elicitation is challenging in this setting Utilize behavior of end users, specifically: rule deviations  Analyze for candidates for potential new or changed requirements Utilizing Rule Deviations in IT Ecosystems for Implicit Requirements Elicitation 15 L. Singer, O. Brill, S. Meyer, K. Schneider