Requirements Engineering

Tuesdays and Thursdays 4PM–5PM & 6PM–7PM
Other days and times by appointment

This course develops competency in software requirements engineering and management.

Participants will gain knowledge and experience with requirements elicitation, explication, validation, management and assessment. We will also examine the pragmatics of integrating these practices into existing software development environments, with emphasis on the organizational and cognitive perspectives.

During the course we will discuss provocative ideas concerning communication, ambiguity, cost/benefit analyses, alternative life-cycle models, negotiation and ways to address common difficulties encountered during software requirements engineering.

Participants will locate, critically review and use outside resources related to the domain.

• Describe requirements engineering and critically analyze the role of requirements within any software development organization
  
  
• Elicit requirements from identified stakeholders using various data collection and interview techniques
  
  
• Create and maintain a Software Requirements Specification (SRS):
  
  • Use and adapt a requirement shell
  • Use and modify SRS templates
  • Identify ambiguities in requirements
  • Evaluate requirements qualitatively
  • Assure that requirements have quantitative satisfaction metrics
  
  
• Explain the value and limitations of requirements management tools
  
  
• Select appropriate and effective requirements management paradigms and tools for a given environment from among various alternatives and product offerings

You are expected to make several in-class presentations and to participate in class discussions and in-class exercises. There will be homework assignments that you are required to complete and turn in. Your final course grade is determined by combining scores on the exercises, presentations, and assignments. You are guaranteed a grade no lower than that given by the following conversion of score (percentage of total possible) to letter grade:
  89% < A;  79% < B < 90%; 69% < C < 80%; 59% < D < 70%; F < 60%

N.B.: Participation in class discussions and exercises is mandatory.

Late assignments will not earn course credit. You may submit an assignment after its due date for comments and advice, and you are encouraged to do so. However, the score for that assignment will be recorded officially as 0. Likewise, missing an in-class exercise will result in a score of 0 for that exercise. Specifically, late homework and make-up exercises will not be accommodated without prior arrangement and written agreement. Unforeseeable crises and emergency situations will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis in accordance with MSCD, College, and Departmental policies.

Note that a substantial amount of information will be disseminated during class sessions or on course websites that you will be responsible for knowing whether or not you attended the sessions or accessed the website. Note in particular that the textbooks do not provide all of the information necessary to successfully complete the assignments and exercises.

The work you turn in must be your own, created by you individually. Collaboration and discussion with fellow students concerning course information, materials, proof reading, concept exploration and studying for exams is encouraged. However, work you turn in must reflect your individual effort to provide fair assessment for grading and maximized benefit from the learning experience. Turning in work that is the result of unauthorized collaboration or copying will be treated as academic dishonesty and an attempt at fraud. All incidents of suspected dishonesty will be reported to the department and the Dean of the college. Consequences may include a grade of 0 on the assignment or exam, a grade of "F" for the course, academic probation, or dismissal from the institution. This is a very serious matter and should not be taken lightly. If you have any uncertainty or concerns, please discuss them with your instructor or advisor.