From Idea to Product: Requirements Evolution within Software Projects

Abstract

Requirements evolution is a phenomenon that has been acknowledged and recognized, but not extensively researched yet. It has been widely known that requirements change is one of the most persistent challenges in the software industry. Having such a closely related field be seen as a persistent challenge, and the fact that researchers have been calling out for more research on the topic, emphasizes the necessity for research on requirements evolution. In this study, we delve deeper into requirements evolution through an exploratory case study, supported by a literature study. In the literature study, we encountered various definitions and taxonomies on the topic, from which we developed a taxonomy of requirements evolution. In the case study, we closely followed the progress of an internal software project from its initiation until the creation of a minimum viable product. We collected all requirements and requirementsrelevant information, tagged it, and create sequences of changes that represent the evolution of a requirement. Our analysis focused on identifying evolution patterns, combinations of associated tags, and the influence of timing, source location, and initiators on requirements evolution. Lastly, we investigated the similarities and differences of requirements evolution between the contents of conversations and those of project management systems. We discovered some evidence that irreversible changes are less likely to occur, and we observed a correlation between stakeholders’ roles and the requirements evolution steps they initiate. Furthermore, this correlation appeared to be linked to the company’s working methodology, as revealed through stakeholder interviews conducted during the case study. Finally, we analyzed the recorded requirements conversations, and their connection to the documented requirements evolution from the project management system. We found that these conversations need to be analyzed on a different granularity level to be effectively utilized, and that there were differences in the occurrence of different tags between these discussions and the requirement management system.