Requirement Validation - A multi-case study to identifyfailure factors in safety critical software development

Abstract: In software development, customer trust hinges on a product performing as expectedand ensuring appropriate steps are taken to prevent incidents due to faulty systems. Oneway of achieving this lies within in requirement validation – the process of validatingthe requirements set on the software. However, the complexity of the requirementvalidation domain can be challenging for companies and organizations seeking toimprove their validation processes. This research investigates this area, pinpointingpotential failure factors that may hinder effective requirement validation. The study wasconducted using a multi-case research design, involving individual interviews with fourdistinct divisions at SAAB: hardware, software, systems, and test equipment.This study built upon Niazi’s & Shastry's previous research where findings of failurefactors in requirement engineering are brought forward. What this research has done istaking the failure factors and applying them to requirement validation, which is asubcategory to requirement engineering. The failure factors taken into consideration inthis research are therefore the following: • Vague requirements• Undefined requirements process• Lack of stakeholder involvement• Business needs are not considered• Lack of requirement management• The requirements do not reflect the real needs of the customer• The requirements are inconsistent and/or incomplete• It is expensive to make changes to requirements after they have been agreed• Requirements growth• Stakeholders’ communication problems During the research, focus was placed on noting how often the interviewees mentionedeach failure factor. This helped in understanding which issues were most often seen asproblems in the requirement validation process.Particularly, stakeholder issues and the tendency towards vague requirement definitionsemerged as prevalent problems. The findings of this research do not only concernsafety-critical software companies but can additionally prove beneficial to any industrydealing with stakeholders and product/service requirements. The research providesiiipotential pitfalls in requirement validation, aiding organizations in refining theirapproach for better software product reliability and customer trust.