Investigating dependencies in software requirements for change propagation analysis

ISCAS OpenIR

	Investigating dependencies in software requirements for change propagation analysis
	Zhang, He (1); Li, Juan (3); Zhu, Liming (2); Jeffery, Ross (2); Liu, Yan (4); Wang, Qing (3); Li, Mingshu (3); Zhang, H.(dr.hezhang@gmail.com)
	2014
发表期刊	Information and Software Technology
ISSN	9505849
卷号	56 期号:1 页码:40-53
摘要	Context The dependencies between individual requirements have an important influence on software engineering activities e.g., project planning, architecture design, and change impact analysis. Although dozens of requirement dependency types were suggested in the literature from different points of interest, there still lacks an evaluation of the applicability of these dependency types in requirements engineering. Objective Understanding the effect of these requirement dependencies to software engineering activities is useful but not trivial. In this study, we aimed to first investigate whether the existing dependency types are useful in practise, in particular for change propagation analysis, and then suggest improvements for dependency classification and definition. Method We conducted a case study that evaluated the usefulness and applicability of two well-known generic dependency models covering 25 dependency types. The case study was conducted in a real-world industry project with three participants who offered different perspectives. Results Our initial evaluation found that there exist a number of overlapping and/or ambiguous dependency types among the current models; five dependency types are particularly useful in change propagation analysis; and practitioners with different backgrounds possess various viewpoints on change propagation. To improve the state-of-the-art, a new dependency model is proposed to tackle the problems identified from the case study and the related literature. The new model classifies dependencies into intrinsic and additional dependencies on the top level, and suggests nine dependency types with precise definitions as its initial set. Conclusions Our case study provides insights into requirement dependencies and their effects on change propagation analysis for both research and practise. The resulting new dependency model needs further evaluation and improvement. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.; Context The dependencies between individual requirements have an important influence on software engineering activities e.g., project planning, architecture design, and change impact analysis. Although dozens of requirement dependency types were suggested in the literature from different points of interest, there still lacks an evaluation of the applicability of these dependency types in requirements engineering. Objective Understanding the effect of these requirement dependencies to software engineering activities is useful but not trivial. In this study, we aimed to first investigate whether the existing dependency types are useful in practise, in particular for change propagation analysis, and then suggest improvements for dependency classification and definition. Method We conducted a case study that evaluated the usefulness and applicability of two well-known generic dependency models covering 25 dependency types. The case study was conducted in a real-world industry project with three participants who offered different perspectives. Results Our initial evaluation found that there exist a number of overlapping and/or ambiguous dependency types among the current models; five dependency types are particularly useful in change propagation analysis; and practitioners with different backgrounds possess various viewpoints on change propagation. To improve the state-of-the-art, a new dependency model is proposed to tackle the problems identified from the case study and the related literature. The new model classifies dependencies into intrinsic and additional dependencies on the top level, and suggests nine dependency types with precise definitions as its initial set. Conclusions Our case study provides insights into requirement dependencies and their effects on change propagation analysis for both research and practise. The resulting new dependency model needs further evaluation and improvement. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
收录类别	SCI ; EI
关键词	Requirement Dependency Requirement Traceability Requirement Relationship Change Propagation Impact Analysis Case Study
部门归属	(1) State Key Laboratory of Novel Software Technology, Software Institute, Nanjing University, Jiangsu, China; (2) NICTA, University of New South Wales, Australia; (3) Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; (4) Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, Concordia University, Canada
语种	英语
WOS记录号	WOS:000329151900005
引用统计
内容类型	期刊论文
URI标识	http://ir.iscas.ac.cn/handle/311060/16892
专题	中国科学院软件研究所
通讯作者	Zhang, H.(dr.hezhang@gmail.com)
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Zhang, He ,Li, Juan ,Zhu, Liming ,et al. Investigating dependencies in software requirements for change propagation analysis[J]. Information and Software Technology,2014,56(1):40-53.
APA	Zhang, He .,Li, Juan .,Zhu, Liming .,Jeffery, Ross .,Liu, Yan .,...&Zhang, H..(2014).Investigating dependencies in software requirements for change propagation analysis.Information and Software Technology,56(1),40-53.
MLA	Zhang, He ,et al."Investigating dependencies in software requirements for change propagation analysis".Information and Software Technology 56.1(2014):40-53.