2023/01/24 by Tor Sporsem, Morten Hatling, Sporsem, Tor +5 · 1 citation
Computer Science · #Advanced Software Engineering Methodologies #FOS: Computer and information sciences #Software Engineering (cs.SE) #Software Engineering Research #Software Engineering Techniques and Practices
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2301.10211
openalex publication_date 2023/01/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Context: Requirements elicitation is an essential activity to ensure that systems provide the necessary functionality to users, and that they are fit for purpose. In addition to traditional `reductionist' techniques, the use of observations and ethnography-style techniques have been proposed to identify requirements. Research Problem: One frequently heard issue with observational techniques is that they are costly to use, as developers would lose considerable time to partake, and also depend on luck in identifying requirements. Very few experience reports exist to evaluate observational techniques in practice. Results: In this experience report, we draw on several data sources, covering insights from both developers and users. The data were collected through 9 interviews with users and developers, and over 80 hours of observation of prospective users in the maritime domain. We capture `knowns' and `unknowns' from both developers and users, and highlight the importance of observational studies. Contribution: While observational techniques are costly to use, we conclude that essential information is uncovered, which is key for developers to understand system users and their concerns.