A Framework for Requirements Triage Process

Abstract: ABSTRACT Context: Requirements triage is a crucial activity in requirements engineering process for market-driven products. Triage deals with selection of appropriate requirements from large number of requirements for particular release plan. If triage is not performed initially, selection and management of a large number of requirements would be difficult in requirements engineering process. In market-driven product development triage is followed by estimation and prioritization of requirements to be selected for a particular release plan, also termed as requirements selection. Product development is done based on the set of requirements selected in requirements selection process. Objectives: The objective of the thesis is to find whether there is a need to improve existing requirements triage process or not, identify the challenges and shortcomings of the existing requirements triage and selection solutions and suggest improvements to address identified challenges and shortcomings. Methods: In order to identify existing requirements triage and selection solutions (method, model, tool, technique, process, and others), challenges addressed by existing requirements triage and selection solutions, and the shortcomings faced while implementing them, a systematic literature review has been done. A list of challenges and shortcomings, identified through the analysis of systematic literature review results, was used as an input to industrial survey to confirm most applicable (relevant) challenges and shortcomings and to identify possibilities to address those challenges and shortcomings. Results: A process framework for requirements triage has been proposed to address the challenges faced by practitioners during triage. The steps and solutions proposed within the framework also enable to alleviate the shortcomings of the existing requirements triage solutions. Conclusions: The results of the survey have been analyzed from different perspectives: size of organization, number of requirements handled per month and experience of professional doing triage. Therefore, the proposed process framework is usable and useful for both small-scale and large-scale organizations. The initial effort required to put framework process steps in place would be high, however, later the effort will reduce not only for requirements triage but also for later phases in requirements engineering. As a spin off effect the quality of triage decision is increased.