Pitfalls and Best Practices in Requirements Engineering and Management - Requirements Engineering and Management for Software Development Projects - page 195

Chapter 14
Pitfalls and Best Practices
in Requirements Engineering
and Management
14.1 Introduction
Requirements engineering and management is a vital activity in software
development. If other activities are not handled properly, there could be defects in
the product or the project may suffer from cost or schedule overruns. But if
requirements are not handled properly, we may have a wrong product on our hands
at the end of the project! Requirements management has a strategic impact on the
project. It is the difference between success and failure of the project. Defects can
be fixed, but we cannot re-develop the product.
Therefore, it is imperative that we implement the industry best practices and
avoid the pitfalls in the management of requirements if we wish to ensure success
of the project by delivering the right product. Here we discuss some of the pitfalls
that frequently plague the requirements management activity as well as the best
practices that have always ensured the success of the project.
14.2 Best Practices and Pitfalls at the Organizational Level
Organization has a major role in either the success or failure of the project.
Organization sets the framework in which the individuals perform and can excel or
fail. The framework facilitates the individual capacity to perform. It can propel the
individual to excel or push the person to fail. Organization has the onus in the
following aspects:
1. Approach to Requirements Engineering and Management
2. Provision of Resources
3. Training and Updating of Skills
4. Definition and Improvement of Process
5. Motivation and Morale of the Resources