Requirements Documents Evolution and Synchronization with Activities in the Refined Requirements Generation Model

Abstract

Over the past few years the real importance of requirements engineering has surfaced; hence, much research is now being directed towards generating quality requirements. However, the existing requirements generation models do not sufficiently stress the importance of identifying intermediate requirements documents. In addition, the models rarely specify how those documents support the objectives of the related activities. Moreover, the current models fail to depict how requirements are transformed, in terms of content and format, as we transition through the requirements engineering process.

To address these concerns, we propose a comprehensive requirements generation model consisting of two main parts - (1) a refined set of activities (of the model) with explicitly enunciated objectives, and (2) a detailed characterization of requirements documents generated throughout the requirements engineering process.

The proposed model refines the Requirements Generations Model (RGM) into detailed activities to reflect an appropriate level of abstraction, so that we can more accurately represent the intermediate development of the requirements documents. Furthermore, the objectives of the activities are identified, and subsequently, synchronized with the content and format of the documents produced by each activity. The evolution of the requirements is described, in terms of content and format, as the requirements documents pass through the successive activities of the requirements engineering process.