Page 114 - Software and Systems Requirements Engineering in Practice

C h a p t e r 4 :
R e q u i r e m e n t s M o d e l i n g
C h a p t e r 4 : R e q u i r e m e n t s M o d e l i n g 83 83
and a requirements database synchronized can be a problem. It is a
straightforward process to create a first draft of a requirements
database from a model. However, there is the open issue of keeping
the model and the database synchronized, as they are now in two
separate databases, and changes made to one might not be reflected
in the other. We feel that tools that will combine requirements
management and process modeling facilities are still several years
away; consequently, special attention should be paid to tool integration
and automatic updates.
At Siemens, several pilot projects were conducted to determine
the effectiveness of MDRE with currently available tool sets on large
projects [Berenbach and Borotto 2006]. Additional projects used MDRE
effectively, where the requirements were generated automatically
from an analysis model and transferred to a requirements database.
The combination of programmatic quality assurance checks (using
our internal DesignAdvisor tool) and automated requirement
generation worked well; the only open issue being the need to
manually synchronize the model and the generated requirements as
part of the requirements management process.
An MDRE process or set of processes can span the entire product
development life cycle from innovation through maintenance. It is
therefore important to determine the objectives of the process, and what
the process stakeholders will expect (Figure 4.4). Typical questions

Subject matter analysts Quality assurance personnel
like to know which want to be sure that in-place
areas need further processes are being followed,
elucidation, and whether and that the quality of the
they have previously work products can be measured
reviewed the material. in some tangible way.
Subject matter Quality
expert assurance
analyst
1..* 1..*
Designers are interested
1..* 1..* 1..* in coverage and clarity.
Tester 1..*
Testers are primarily concerned 1..*
with the generation of a test plan 1..*
and test cases, e.g., how difficult Model-Driven 1..*
it would be to generate a viable 1..* Project Architect-Designer-
set of test cases from the Developer
completed model and associated 1..*
documentation. 1..*
Requirements
analyst Project manager
Requirements analysts have the same Project managers are concerned
needs as subject matter experts, but with resource utilization, skill
they would also be interested in the level of the project team, and
quality of the UML model. They would progress (e.g., percent
also want to know what areas needed completeness).
further investigation.
FIGURE 4.4 Sample shareholder needs within an RE process