Requirements Engineering: From System Goals to UML Models to Software Specifications [Paperback]

Essential comprehensive coverage of the fundamentals of requirements engineering

Requirements engineering (RE) deals with the variety of prerequisites that must be met by a software system within an organization in order for that system to produce stellar results. With that explanation in mind, this must–have book presents a disciplined approach to the engineering of high–quality requirements. Serving as a helpful introduction to the fundamental concepts and principles of requirements engineering, this guide offers a comprehensive review of the aim, scope, and role of requirements engineering as well as best practices and flaws to avoid.

• Shares state–of–the–art techniques for domain analysis, requirements elicitation, risk analysis, conflict management, and more
• Features in–depth treatment of system modeling in the specific context of engineering requirements
• Presents various forms of reasoning about models for requirements quality assurance
• Discusses the transitions from requirements to software specifications to software architecture

In addition, case studies are included that complement the many examples provided in the book in order to show you how the described method and techniques are applied in practical situations.

This book provides a systematic and practical approach to the engineering of high–quality requirements. It covers the entire requirements lifecycle and integrates state–of–the–art techniques for requirements elicitation, evaluation, specification, analysis, and evolution. Modeling plays a central role. A method is presented for building and analyzing a multi–view model of the target system, where each step is supported by heuristic rules, tactics, modeling patterns, and bad smells to avoid.

Highlights include:

• A comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of requirements engineering, including techniques for: requirements elicitation and reuse, risk analysis, conflict management, and requirements prioritization; requirements specification, inspection, validation, and verification; traceability management and change control.
•   An in–depth treatment of system modelling for requirements engineering, including constructive techniques for modeling system goals, conceptual objects, responsibilities among system agents, operations, scenarios and intended behaviors, and countermeasures to anticipated hazards and threats.
• A variety of techniques for model–based evaluation of alternative options, model refinement checking, model animation, property verification, inductive model synthesis, and analysis of conflicts, hazards, and security threats.
• Use of standard UML notations wherever applicable. Most techniques are based on a solid formal framework, kept hidden throughout the major part of the book for wider accessibility.
• Numerous examples from running case studies in a variety of domains, including security– and safety–critical ones. Rich set of problems and exercises at the end of each chapter together with bibliographical notes for further study.

The book is primarily written for undergraduates and masters students in software or system engineering to acquire a solid background in requirements engineering and system modelling. It is also intended for practitioners in need of systematic guidance for elaborating and analyzing requirements. The last part on model–based reasoning is more targeted to graduate students. A companion website with additional instructor resources and tool support can be found at www.wileyeurope.com/college/van lamsweerde