Requirements Engineering in Agile Software Development

Abstract

In all organization requirements engineering is applied at two different context levels: in the context of the product or service portfolio and in the context of projects. At the project context agile methods and techniques are often successfully established, although the discipline of requirements engineering often still is unattended. At the portfolio context agile techniques are hardly ever established thus leading to a culture clash between the portfolio and the project context. As requirements are the most important link of the chain from portfolios to projects, a solid and continuous agile approach in the discipline of requirements engineering from portfolio management level down into every single project is a key to open up unimagined potential for the organization. This article visualizes the forces behind agile techniques in requirements engineering, the “root causes” that interact and open up this potential. The understanding of these root causes enables individuals to implement the optimal version of agility in the organization.