Creating a Project-Specific Requirements Engineering Process

In this column, I use a common situation facing many requirements engineers to illustrate that " one size does not fit all " when it comes to selecting a project-specific requirements engineering process. I then recommend a metaprocess for constructing such a process based on the use of a preexisting process framework and its associated repository of reusable process components. I conclude the column with a brief discussion of some of the benefits and risks associated with this approach. Imagine that you work for a small to midsize company that develops software-intensive systems. Today, your company is essentially ad hoc when it comes to process. Each project and team within the project is responsible for determining how they are going to perform their tasks. However because of recent problems with quality and the failure of important projects to come in on schedule and within cost, management has recognized the need for more rigor when it comes to the system/software engineering process. Perhaps there is even some pressure from customers or members of management to achieve a specific score on a recognized process assessment such as the SEI's Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI ® ; And now a new project is about to start. You have read a couple of requirements engineering books and maybe taken a one-day tutorial at some conference so you are perceived as the local requirements expert. Thus, you have been tasked to lead the requirements effort. And you have also been tasked to develop and document the project's process for performing requirements engineering (RE), with the understanding that what you come up with is intended to become your company's standard RE process if it works reasonably well on your project. So what do you do? A fair number of you reading this column have probably either found yourself in this situation or else know of someone who has. Or maybe you are working for a similar company and suspect that someone will face this challenge shortly. What do you do?