Managing software requirements : organizational and political challenges

Requirements management is an extremely critical and challenging part of the software development process. Correctly capturing these requirements is necessary for the user to be satisfied with the final product. Many instances of inadequate requirements management result in subsequent problems with the final product and have organizational sources. The goal of this research is to better understand the organizational processes and problems associated with software requirements management within NASA's human-rated space programs through interviews with experienced professionals within this organization. Some of the major themes that resulted from the expert interviews include: * Software engineering practices, such as the CMM, are starting to be implemented for the larger programs at NASA, however these practices have not been equally pervasive in all parts of the organization. * The main reason for lack of requirements management at NASA is not enough time or people available for the activity. * The reason that was most cited for requirements management tools not being used effectively is that these tools are too manpower intensive for NASA's current organizational situation, and require documentation that is not available. * To achieve improvements in requirements management NASA should hire more people with computer science backgrounds who also have an understanding of aerospace systems. * The lack of complete documentation on NASA projects, means that complete system testing cannot happen. * Requirements creep can happen at NASA because higher level customers do not always have a complete technical understanding of a subsystem or component that is

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2004

Author dc:creator

• Rodriguez, Laurie L., 1976-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Charles P. Coleman.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.
• Technology and Policy Program.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/17784

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/17784