Software Requirements Engineering Lecture 7

Software Requirements Engineering - Lecture 7: Requirements Negotiation

• Requirements negotiation aims to identify, analyze, resolve, and document conflicts.
• The goal is to find solutions agreeable to all stakeholders.
• Conflict resolution includes techniques like negotiation, creative solutions, and decisions.
• Requirements conflicts arise when different stakeholders have conflicting needs or wishes regarding the system.
• Stakeholders may have differing opinions about system features, functionalities, etc.
• These conflicts can stem from differing interpretations of information, distinct interests, varying values, strained relationships or inequalities of stakeholder power.

Teaching Goals

• Understanding "conflict" in a requirements context.
• Knowing the significance of conflicts in requirements.
• Types of requirements conflicts.
• Conflict resolution techniques.
• Documentation of conflict resolution.

RE Framework

• The framework details different activities within software requirements engineering.
• The framework outlines how to approach conflicts and the different steps involved in the process.
• Negotiation is a crucial core activity connected to validation and management.
• Requirements artifacts, goals, and scenarios all play a role in the process.

Definition of Requirements Negotiation

• The negotiation process aims to identify conflicts, analyze their root causes, then resolve them via appropriate strategies.
• Documentation of the conflict resolution and rationale is crucial.

Conflict

• A conflict exists when there are disagreements/contradictions in the needs or wants of different stakeholders.
• These concerns pertain to the system in question.
• These needs or desires may be totally or partially contradictory.

Requirements Conflict - Examples

• Stakeholders may prefer radar sensors over ultrasound sensors for distance measurement.
• Some may want an important safety feature, while others might consider it a distraction to the driver.

Conflict Management

• The goal involves identifying, analysing, resolving, and documenting conflicts.
• This requires understanding the root cause of conflicts for appropriate resolution strategies.

Identify Conflict

• Conflicts may subtly appear amidst all requirements tasks.
• Pay attention to potentially hidden/latent conflicts.
• All similar conflicts should be aggregated for better focus.

Analyze Conflicts

• Conflicts may derive from various factors.
• A conflict’s causes must be determined, and the associated conflict types identified.
• 5 conflict types are recognized.

5 Conflict Types

• Data conflict—differences in information.
• Interest conflict—conflicting needs or interests.
• Value conflict—different evaluation criteria from stakeholders.
• Relationship conflict—negative interactions between stakeholders.
• Structural conflict—unequal power distribution.

Resolve Conflict

• Resolving conflicts requires understanding stakeholder motivations and collaborating to find suitable solutions.
• Several techniques like agreement, compromise, voting, variant definitions help resolve a conflict
• A decision-making process where all influencing factors, together with potential benefits and downsides are considered.
• Techniques include thorough consideration of ideas through comprehensive strategies encompassing all viewpoints.

Resolve Conflict - Strategies

• Negotiation, creative solutions, and decisions help resolve conflicts.

Document The Conflict

• Documenting conflict resolution is vital to avoid repeat conflicts.
• The recording process includes details of conflict causes, involved stakeholders, resolution techniques, various opinions, and potential alternatives.

Win-Win Approach

• The goal of the Win-Win approach in conflict resolution is to produce a positive outcome for all parties involved.
• No one party should benefit at the expense of another.
• Reaching satisfactory solutions for all concerned requires collaboration among conflicting stakeholders.

Summary

• Requirement management involves identifying, analyzing, and resolving discrepancies effectively.
• The win-win approach highlights compromise and collaboration..
• Goals and scenarios support the process.
• Conflicts can be resolved through negotiation, creative solutions, and decision-making.
• Identifying and documenting conflicts avoids future issues

References

• Klaus Pohl's book, "Requirements Engineering Fundamentals" provides further detail on these concepts.

This quiz explores the critical topic of requirements negotiation in software engineering, focusing on identifying, analyzing, and resolving conflicts among stakeholders. You'll learn about the significance of such conflicts, various types, and effective resolution techniques to ensure a harmonious project outcome.