Requirements Engineering Through Viewpoints

The development of most large and complex systems necessarily involves many people each with their own perspective on the system defined by their skills, responsibilities, knowledge and expertise. This is particularly true where the system is a composite system, that is one which deploys a variety of different technologies (software, hardware, mechanical and so on). Inevitably, the different perspectives of those involved in the process intersect and overlap, giving rise to a requirement for coordination. The intersections are, however, far from obvious because the knowledge within each perspective is represented in different ways. Further, because development may be carried out concurrently by those involved, different perspectives may be at different stages of elaboration and may each be subject to different development strategies.