Integrating run-time changes into system and software process enactment

International audienceIn System and Software Engineering development, unforeseen changes occurring during process enactment are almost inevitable but often poorly managed due to a lack of efficient mechanisms for spontaneously handling these run‐time changes. We proposed a change‐aware process management system that allows process actors reporting emergent changes, analyzing possible impacts, and notifying people affected by the changes. To this end, we integrated a Change Management Component with a Process Management System. The Process Management System monitors process enactment and uses the run‐time process information to construct a Process dependency graph (PDG) representing the dependencies among the elements of running processes. The Change Management Component captures change requests sent asynchronously, then reasons the PDG to determine impacted elements. Our PDG reflects the information of process instances and therefore can uncover the intra‐process or inter‐processes dependencies that are invisible on process models. We implemented a prototype named CAPE based on the platform jBPM and the graph database Neo4j

Exploring Strategies for Capturing Requirements for Developing ICT4D Applications

Some software engineers make decisions using applications designed from poorly captured user requirements. The quality of user requirements is crucial in the requirements engineering process, costing 50 times more to remedy the defects of using poorly captured user requirements. Grounded in the socialization, externalization, combination and internalization model of Nonaka theoretical framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies software engineers in Southern African software houses and IT departments use for capturing information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) requirements. The participants consisted of software 12 engineers who were working in Southern Africa, capturing ICT4D requirements. The data were collected using semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis was used, and four themes emerged: (a) interacting with stakeholders—socialization, (b) transforming interactive knowledge into user requirements—externalization, (c) sharing documented knowledge about user requirements—combination, and (d) applying assimilated knowledge from documented knowledge—internalization. A recommendation is for software engineers to capture their users’ needs and experiences to develop reliable ICT4D software that can assist in delivering interventions to marginalized societies. The implications for positive social change include improving the socioeconomic status of marginalized citizens with ICT4D software applications due to potentially improved requirements engineering practices