Constructing requirements: A qualitative study of challenges encountered during requirements elicitation for information systems
Date
2015-05
Authors
Gibbs, David L.
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Abstract
This study identifies common challenges faced by practitioners while eliciting requirements for information systems. Participants representing both providers and consumers of information systems were interviewed using critical incident technique to collect rich qualitative data for grounded theory analysis. Vignettes from participants describe the challenges they faced as stakeholders on projects in the fields of health information management, insurance, and federal government systems. Grounded theory analysis revealed common challenges in three primary categories: change, communications, and knowledge. The emerging theory proposes elicitation of information systems requirements would benefit from an approach combining constructivism and social constructionism rather than traditional positivist approaches. Constructing requirements, rather than gathering requirements, reduces the risks associated with the common challenges and increases the likelihood of perceived success.
Description
Keywords
Requirements, Qualitative, Constructivism, Social constructionism, Grounded theory
Citation
Gibbs, D. L. (2015). Constructing requirements: A qualitative study of challenges encountered during requirements elicitation for information systems (Unpublished dissertation). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.