Exploring the Effects of Prototyping on Requirements Elicitation Interviews

Abstract

This thesis examines the effects of prototyping on requirements elicitation interviews. The primary goal hereof is to determine the extent to which the need to develop a prototype affects the qualities of requirements elicitation interviews when compared with a given framework. The results were intended to be used to improve current requirements engineering practices and provide insights into how interviews and prototyping interact so that the interview process may be refined.

Using content analysis alongside deductive coding, basic interviews were compared with interviews conducted alongside the creation of a prototype. Several findings emerged as a result. Firstly, the type of interview – namely initial or follow-up interviews – has an impact on interview qualities. Secondly, the use of a prototype caused the group creating prototypes to use less hypotheticals and examples during their interviews. This is speculated to relate to an existing concern about prototype usage causing bias towards existing solutions.

This research highlights the need for further research into more robust guidelines and frameworks for effective interviewing, as well as general research regarding the interactions between elicitation techniques in general. Future work should aim to validate the results of this thesis and explore other elicitation techniques in this manner, with the goal of reaching a level of understanding of requirements elicitation techniques that positively impacts both experts and novices alike.