From Palaces to Yurts: Why Requirements Engineering Needs Design Thinking

T he German saying " von Palästen zu Zelten " compares different systems to different levels of flexibility and agility — that is, " from palaces to yurts. " Requirements engineering systems are geared for developing information system palaces and aren't what's needed for today's world of rapidly changing, app-enabled products. These Web and mobile apps are small, require rapid development, must closely fit customer needs, and change often. Requirements engineering for these would greatly ben-ef it from design thinking — that is, a human-centered, rapid-prototypying method for innovative design. All house construction requires a solid basement , a supporting infrastructure that provides efficiency in maintenance, and some adjustable elements that will be continuously updated for the house's lifetime. Large, complex houses provide more comfortable living space, but more groundwork is needed if any changes are necessary. IT systems are similar. To meet today's challenges with small, easily changed systems that are more function than infrastructure, we need more that are like yurts rather than palaces. In the first phase of Internet application development for products and services, such applications used the Web to provide a front end to simple functions, such as looking up stock quotes or current weather. In the second phase, the Web acted as a front end to large, integrated back-end systems. These systems require the typical requirements engineering approach — long, careful study and development. However , the new generation of apps is loosely bound to back-end systems, if any, and employs algorithms that can easily run on mobile devices as well as the Web. One example is the Azumio Stress Tester, which uses a sophisticated algorithm to measure variations in pulse to determine stress or conditioning (see https://play.google.com/ store/apps/details?id=com.azumio.android. stresscheck&hl=en). The PeakFinder uses GPS and compass data to determine a person's position and his or her relation to mountains (www .peakfinder.org). Such apps also connect to back-end systems on the Web, but only loosely, and they can run without a connection. Although large back-end systems will continue to be needed, an emerging trend is that of app-enabled products. Increasingly, many products , both software and tangible, are released and accompanied by Web or mobile apps that add value. Even taxis benefit from today's apps, which we can use to look for parking spaces or share cars. One example originates from Nobel Biocare, a dental solutions company: OsseoCare Pro is a tablet-based app that lets …