Experience in Managing Requirements between Distributed Parties in a Research Project Context

Abstract

This paper describes the experience of managing a requirements process between distributed parties with diverse interests in a research project context. We present some key 'lessons learned' from a new case study, the DESTECS project, and summarise lessons learned from previous experience reports. Key risks include obstacles imposed by the geographic distance, the different domain knowledge and working contexts of partners, and a risk that autonomous partners' goals do not always coincide. Our observations on a new case study broadly support a previous study, but we also propose some new lessons to learn, including the creation of a small, representative 'requirements authority' (RA), investing time in studying common concepts early in the project, and ensuring that expectations for requirements and for deliveries are made explicit.