Page 229 - Software and Systems Requirements Engineering in Practice

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#HANGE -ANAGEMENT
#HANGE INEVITABLY HAPPENS SO WE MUST PLAN FOR CHANGES TO
REQUIREMENTS OVER THE COURSE OF A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AS WELL AS AFTER
THE PRODUCT IS RELEASED TO THE FIELD 4HUS WE MUST ESTABLISH PROCESSES
AND TOOLS TO MANAGE CHANGING REQUIREMENTS
2EQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT INCLUDES THE VERSION CONTROL OF ALL
ARTIFACTS THAT ARE THE SOURCES OF REQUIREMENTS OR THE PRODUCTS OF THE
REQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT PROCESS %XAMPLES OF ARTIFACTS THAT WOULD
BE CONTROLLED INCLUDE
v 3OURCE DOCUMENTS PICTURES AND BLUEPRINTS
v -EMOS AND MEETING MINUTES
v 2EQUIREMENTS AND STAKEHOLDER REQUESTS
v $OCUMENTS PRODUCED FROM REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING
REQUIREMENTS DESIGN AND TEST SPECIFICATIONS
4HERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF VERSION CONTROL OR CONFIGURATION
MANAGEMENT TOOLS AVAILABLE THAT CAN BE USED TO CONTROL REQUIREMENTS
ARTIFACTS ;7HITE =
)NITIALLY REQUIREMENTS WILL BE FLUID AND UNCERTAIN 7HILE
REQUIREMENTS ELICITATION IS ONGOING IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CREATE A
SOMEWHAT STABLE SET OF REQUIREMENTS #ONSEQUENTLY A BASELINE IS
USUALLY CREATED WHEN NEARING THE END OF THE REQUIREMENTS ELICITATION
PHASE AFTER STAKEHOLDER REQUESTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AND AN INITIAL
SET OF REQUIREMENTS HAS BEEN CREATED AND APPROVED ! REQUIREMENTS
BASELINE IS THE SET OF REQUIREMENTS SOURCE DOCUMENTS AND ALL
DOCUMENTS DERIVED FROM THE SET OF REQUIREMENTS AT A SPECIFIC POINT IN
TIME )F HOWEVER A SUPPLIER IS RECEIVING THE REQUIREMENTS FROM A
CUSTOMER AS PART OF A NEGOTIATED CONTRACT THEN THE SET OF REQUIREMENTS
CONTAINED IN THE CONTRACT IS NORMALLY CONSIDERED THE INITIAL BASELINE
5NTIL A BASELINE IS CREATED CHANGES TO STAKEHOLDER REQUESTS AND
THE EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL REQUIREMENTS MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO TRACK
CHANGES (OWEVER ONCE A BASELINE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THE TRACKING
OF CHANGES TO REQUIREMENTS BECOMES MANDATORY
4HE TERM FEATURE CREEP APPLIES WHEN MANY SMALL CHANGES ARE
PERMITTED WITHOUT CONTROL OR FORMAL REVIEW 3UCH CHANGES CAN
SEVERELY IMPACT THE PROFITABILITY AND DELIVERY DATE OF A PROJECT OR
PRODUCT )N ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING PROPOSED CHANGES
MUST BE REVIEWED BY A CONTROL GROUP OFTEN CALLED A CHANGE CONTROL
BOARD ##" 4HE ROLE OF THE ##" IS TO PROVIDE A CENTRAL CONTROL
MECHANISM TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHANGE REQUEST IS PROPERLY CONSIDERED