Using Quality Function Deployment in Software Requirements Specification

We present in this paper an approach to requirements specification based on quality function deployment (QFD). We discuss how techniques like QFD with accompanying tool-support can contribute to the development of high quality requirements models that are the basis for information systems that are perceived as valuable by the stakeholders of the systems. Based on the practical application of this technique on a number of information systems projects, including both traditional development projects and the implementation of packaged solutions, it is our experience that the quality of requirements specifications can be improved by using this technique, in particular when used together with groupware tools supporting the overall process. Especially, what we term semantic, pragmatic, and social quality are often affected positively. On the other hand, the QFD-technique is not sufficient alone, but needs to be combined with other RE-techniques such as prototyping, observations, and more traditional conceptual modeling to be able to cover and analyze all types of systems requirements.