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Essence of Requirements Engineering: Pragmatic Insights for 2024
The document presents a technology research report by Asher Sterkin that explores modern methods in software requirements engineering and emphasizes the importance of context and combining techniques for improved results. It critiques the immaturity of the software engineering discipline and discusses concepts like stakeholder needs, system dynamics, and non-functional concerns. The presentation concludes with key takeaway points highlighting the varying effectiveness of methods based on context and the potential future role of AI in modeling tasks.
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Essence of Requirements Engineering: Pragmatic Insights for 2024
- 1. Asher Sterkin, 2024 The Essence of RequirementsEngineering Pragmatic Insights for 2024
- 2. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Disclaimer This is atechnology research report rather than a structured training course. Reflects my current understanding of the Software Requirements Engineering field. In my experience, the best way to learn something is to teach somebody :-). Some of the graphical illustrations were generated by DALL-E. Wording and grammar fixes were suggested by ChatGPT. The underlying ideas are entirely mine. 2
- 3. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Who Am I? ●A Software Engineer since 1978 ● From EC2 Assembler to Gen AI and Clouds ● From SRS to RUP, to Agile, to Essence ● Senior engineering positions at NDS and Cisco ● An independent software technology researcher 3
- 4. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Objectives of thisPresentation ● To introduce modern methods in Software Requirements Engineering. ● To explain how different techniques can be combined to enhance final results. ● To clarify why certain methods succeed in some situations but not in others. 4
- 5. Asher Sterkin, 2024 The Uncomfortable Truthof Software Engineering 5 “Despite the advances made in engineering and technology, software itself is an immature discipline, dominated by behaviours more reminiscent of a craft than the engineering profession many assumed it was (and arguably should be!). Ivar Jacobson at Chalmers University
- 6. Asher Sterkin, 2024 We looked likethe Fashion Industry 6 ● We had a war of methods ● We were relying on gurus rather than experts ● We had no common ground between methods ● We lacked credible experimental evaluation and validation ● We had a split between industry practice and academic research
- 7. Asher Sterkin, 2024 7 One cannot replicatesuccessfully a practice which worked within one context into another context unless there is a clear theoretical understanding of why it worked in the first place D. Snowden (wording is mine)
- 8. Asher Sterkin, 2024 The Big Picture(as we think it is) 8 Requirements Design Implementation Test Deployment Usage Needs Features Use Cases Non-Functional Risk
- 9. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Table of Contents ●Understanding Stakeholder Needs ● The Critical Role of Context ● Navigating System Dynamics ● Technology Evolution and Strategic Adaptation ● Delivering Features Through Use Cases ● Addressing Non-Functional Concerns ● Extracting the Essence Kernel ● Decomposition and Recombination ● Takeaway Points 9
- 10. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Understanding the Needs 10 MotherChild Jobs to be done Home, Office School, Street Pains Child misbehaving Home messed up Crisis at Office Headache Bullying at School Bullying on Street Gains Child’s success Promotion at office Something cool Good friends Pain Killers Child calms down Help at home Help at office Chemicals to kill the virus Improved immune system Gain Creators Some automation New skills Physical activity Interests Match Products and Services Automation Online Training Virtual Assistant Medicine for flu Sport activities Discover “True Self”
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- 13. Asher Sterkin, 2024 The Critical Roleof Context 13 Cynefin Framework
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- 15. Asher Sterkin, 2024 System Dynamics inAction 15 ● Unless we change the landscape, we could go only from here to there within our current capabilities and skills ● Beware of unintended consequences of landscape change ● If you want more virtue than vice, change the energy cost
- 16. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Technology Evolution andStrategic Adaptation 16 Flexious Curves Framework Wardley Maps
- 17. Asher Sterkin, 2024 System Features andUse Cases 17 Use Case Actor Goal Actor Volume Velocity Variety Volume Velocity Variety Main event flow step Alternative event flow ~ XP User Story (Feature) condition predicate capability toggle user input ~ RUP/FODA Feature ~ FDD Feature
- 18. Asher Sterkin, 2024 System Features andUse Cases 18
- 19. Asher Sterkin, 2024 System Features andUse Cases ● Feature - system capability ○ Could be switched on/off ○ Often has a hierarchical structure ○ Could exclude other feature(s) ○ Could require other feature(s) ○ Within a context of particular use case, triggers one or more painkillers and/or gain creators ● Use Case - way of system interaction ○ Initiated by some Actor with a particular goal in mind ○ Usually involves communication with other Actors ○ Has one main event flow ○ Usually has one or more alternative and/or exceptional event flows ○ Alternative event flows are triggered by user input and/or particular feature switched on 19
- 20. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Features and UseCases: Pay TV System 20 Manage Account Viewer Watch Program Timer Subscriber Charge Monthly Fee Send Billing Statement Clearance Subscription Pay-Per-View
- 21. Asher Sterkin, 2024 4+1 View ofSoftware Architecture Conceptual Physical Process View Deployment View Logical View Use-Case View Implementation View End-user Functionality Programmers Software management Performance Scalability Throughput System integrators System topology Delivery, installation communication System engineering Analysts/Designers Structure 21
- 22. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Deployment Location 22 Device gatewayEdge location Region AWS Wavelength AWS Local Zone AWS Outposts servers Privacy Latency Aggregation Flexibility Operation cost Sustainability!!! IFC Code 22
- 23. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Non-Functional Concerns ● Regulations ●Privacy ● Intellectual Property Protection ● Environmental Impact ● Ethics ● Culture and Language ● Fashion and Aesthetics ● Competition ● Novelty vs Familiarity ● … 23
- 24. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Essence - Breakingthe Methodology Prison 24
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- 26. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Use Case 2.0Concept Map 26
- 27. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Agile Hexi: Scalingby Recombination 27 … you don’t scale a complex system by aggregation or imitation but by decomposition to an optimal level of granularity followed by recombination (possibly exaptive) in context: complexity is about how things connect far more than what the things are. Dave Snowden, “Scaling in complex systems”
- 28. Asher Sterkin, 2024 Takeaway Points ● SoftwareRequirements depend on the context. ● Ordered (obvious, complicated) systems have goals. ● Unordered (complex, chaotic) systems have directions. ● Without changing the environment, our choices are limited. ● At the macro level, timing is crucial. ● Methods vary in effectiveness depending on the context. ● Combining different methods can enhance outcomes. ● AI will eventually assist with fundamental modeling tasks, yet there's further progress to be made. 28
- 29. Asher Sterkin, 2024 I asked DELL-Eto illustrate this 29
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