Specifying the requirements for requirements specification: the case for work domain and worker competencies analyses
Specifying the requirements for requirements specification: the case for work domain and worker competencies analyses
This article presents an argument for the applicability of Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA), particularly Work Domain and Worker Competencies Analyses, in supporting the requirements specification process for the acquisition of bespoke, socio-technical systems. We argue that the outputs of CWA should be included within requirements specification documents as they provide a comprehensive system model, in terms of constraints, opportunities and functional relationships, that would not be possible to represent in the current style of text-based requirements documents, and that communicating required system architectures to system designers is more effective using the graphical-based representations of CWA than by text alone. We also argue that the collaborative and iterative process of conducting a CWA should be continually performed throughout the acquisition cycle, involving Human Factors specialists, prospective end-users and subject matter experts.
cognitive work analysis, requirements engineering, procurement, acquisition, system specification documents
McIlroy, Rich Charles
68e56daa-5b0b-477e-a643-3c7b78c1b85d
Stanton, Neville A.
351a44ab-09a0-422a-a738-01df1fe0fadd
1 January 2011
McIlroy, Rich Charles
68e56daa-5b0b-477e-a643-3c7b78c1b85d
Stanton, Neville A.
351a44ab-09a0-422a-a738-01df1fe0fadd
McIlroy, Rich Charles and Stanton, Neville A.
(2011)
Specifying the requirements for requirements specification: the case for work domain and worker competencies analyses.
Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, First publish.
(doi:10.1080/1463922X.2010.539287).
Abstract
This article presents an argument for the applicability of Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA), particularly Work Domain and Worker Competencies Analyses, in supporting the requirements specification process for the acquisition of bespoke, socio-technical systems. We argue that the outputs of CWA should be included within requirements specification documents as they provide a comprehensive system model, in terms of constraints, opportunities and functional relationships, that would not be possible to represent in the current style of text-based requirements documents, and that communicating required system architectures to system designers is more effective using the graphical-based representations of CWA than by text alone. We also argue that the collaborative and iterative process of conducting a CWA should be continually performed throughout the acquisition cycle, involving Human Factors specialists, prospective end-users and subject matter experts.
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Published date: 1 January 2011
Keywords:
cognitive work analysis, requirements engineering, procurement, acquisition, system specification documents
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Local EPrints ID: 186497
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/186497
ISSN: 1464-536X
PURE UUID: fbc20863-cd67-4c3c-9ae5-482d9b7dc090
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Date deposited: 13 May 2011 10:36
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:59
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