Requirements for a Model-based Requirements Engineering Tool for Embedded Systems: Systematic Literature Review and Survey

Model-based Requirements Engineering (MbRE) promises Requirements Engineering (RE) experts o cope with the the increasing complexity of the embedded systems domain. A major obstacle for using models more intensively in RE is the lack of appropriate tool support. A number of industrial and academic RE tools exist that support model-based development. Nevertheless, a precise set of core requirements that must be met such a tool, is necessary but not yet determined. The identification of this core set of requirements for MbRE tools for embedded systems is the motivation behind the study presented in this paper. Our study started with a systematic literature review, in which we sorted through relevant conferences and identified potential needs and requirements sources in the literature. We then extracted, analyzed and organized these into requirements fitting predefined relevance and inclusion metrics. The resulting set of requirements was then validated and consolidated using expert feedback via a survey. This was rounded out by a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the survey results. The resulting set of requirements is useful both as a metric for RE tool capabilities and as a guideline for the development of model-based RE tools, including our own research prototype. While many of the analysis results empirically reinforce existing preconceptions, some results challenge established wisdom, e.g., the apparent lack of interest in highly automated validation and verification of requirements. This may necessitate a change in the way academia presents the practical usability and benefits of MbRE.