The AmbiTRUS framework for identifying potential ambiguity in user stories

IF 3.7 2区计算机科学 Q1 COMPUTER SCIENCE, SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

Journal of Systems and Software Pub Date : 2025-01-31 DOI:10.1016/j.jss.2025.112357

Anis R. Amna , Yves Wautelet , Stephan Poelmans , Samedi Heng , Geert Poels

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Abstract

Ambiguity in natural language-based requirements is a well-known issue, often addressed as a singular problem despite its complexity. Studies reveal that ambiguity in user stories can manifest differently depending on the linguistic levels.

This study introduces the ambiguity analysis framework (AmbiTRUS) to address these diverse manifestations by composing quality criteria for 13 types of ambiguity problems, classified across four linguistic levels and linked to four types of requirements quality problems. The proposed quality criteria were selected and adapted from three established user story quality frameworks: the QUS framework, the Agile Requirements Verification framework, and the INVEST framework.

To assess the potential effectiveness of AmbiTRUS, a controlled laboratory experiment with advanced MSc students representing novice practitioners of the intended users of the framework. While the experiment did not demonstrate clear effectiveness, users found the framework useful despite its complexity.

Insights from the experiment allowed redefining the framework's quality criteria. The main lesson learned from the experiment is the need for tool support in applying AmbiTRUS, particularly using NLP techniques to verify the quality criteria. The development of such an NLP-based tool and the evaluation of AmbiTRUS through a usability study of the tool are the next steps in our research.

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来源期刊

Journal of Systems and Software 工程技术-计算机：理论方法

CiteScore

8.60

自引率

5.70%

发文量

193

审稿时长

16 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal of Systems and Software publishes papers covering all aspects of software engineering and related hardware-software-systems issues. All articles should include a validation of the idea presented, e.g. through case studies, experiments, or systematic comparisons with other approaches already in practice. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: •Methods and tools for, and empirical studies on, software requirements, design, architecture, verification and validation, maintenance and evolution •Agile, model-driven, service-oriented, open source and global software development •Approaches for mobile, multiprocessing, real-time, distributed, cloud-based, dependable and virtualized systems •Human factors and management concerns of software development •Data management and big data issues of software systems •Metrics and evaluation, data mining of software development resources •Business and economic aspects of software development processes The journal welcomes state-of-the-art surveys and reports of practical experience for all of these topics.