Practical Study on Software Requirements Specification and Modelling Techniques

Abstract

The quality of specified and modeled requirements is critical for IT project success. A significant number of specialized techniques are used for documenting the requirements. The selection of the appropriate technique considerably influences a project plan and the success of a change as a whole. This paper aims to examine practitioners’ industrial standards and experience in the requirements specification activities and identify factors influencing the choice of specific techniques. To get the data from business analysis practitioners, we carried out a survey involving 328 specialists from Ukrainian IT companies and a series of interviews with experts. A list of specification and modelling techniques is selected based on international standards and bodies of knowledge. Project context and participants’ background influence on the probability of particular technique selection are analyzed. A set of dependencies are identified using the Chi-Square test for association and Cramer’s V. Results can be used as guidelines for building a framework for business analysis techniques selection in IT projects.