Knowledge transfer measurement methodology for Software Requirements, a case study

The purpose of this work is to present a proposal methodology for knowledge transfer measurement in software requirements. To obtain results, a methodology composed of four stages was defined: i) review of the knowledge transfer background in software engineering, in order to identify existing efforts in knowledge transfer measurement, ii) characterization of the software requirements process from the knowledge transfer point of view, thus, finding common factors regarding variables and indicators suitable for measuring purposes, iii) define a proposal methodology based on variables and indicators found, data gathering methods, statistical tools and helping documentation, iv) testing the proposal in order to provide feedback, using a case study. Principal results are: seven groups of factors mapping software requirements process stages against knowledge transfer steps, resulting in 115 indicators and 24 variables; 2 variables definition for knowledge transfer initialization stage and software requirements elicitation step mapping, which didn’t had any variable or indicator. Likewise, it was identified that exists a correlation between knowledge transfer and software requirements, the better knowledge transfer the better software requirements. Furthermore, the feed back gathered indicates that motivation variable defined is the more influential variable in the software requirements process according 41.67% of respondents, over other variables as: abstraction, methodology and time access availability, each one with 16.67% of respondents, and understandability with 8.33% of respondents. Last, this work allows analyzing the influence of knowledge transfer indicators in software requirements quality attributes.Resumen. El propósito de este trabajo es presentar una propuesta metodológica para la medición de transferencia de conocimiento en los requisitos de software. Para obtener los resultados, una metodología compuesta de cuatro pasos fue definida: i) revisión de las bases teóricas de transferencia de conocimiento en ingeniería, para identificar esfuerzos existentes en medición de transferencia de conocimiento, ii) caracterización del proceso de requisitos de software desde el punto de vista de la transferencia de conocimiento, y de esta manera, encontrar factores comunes con respecto a variables e indicadores adecuados para los propósitos de medición, iii) definición de una propuesta metodológica con las variables e indicadores encontrados, métodos de captura de datos, herramientas estadísticas y documentación de ayuda, iv) prueba de la propuesta metodológica para proveer una retroalimentación, usando un estudio de caso. Los resultados principales son: siete grupos de factores mapeando las etapas del proceso de requisitos de software contra los pasos de transferencia de conocimiento, resultado en 115 indicadores y 24 variables; 2 variables definidas para el mapeo entre la etapa de inicialización en transferencia de conocimiento y la etapa de elicitación de requisitos de software, el cual no tenía ninguna variable o indicador definidos. Igualmente, fue identificada una correlación entre transferencia de conocimiento y requisitos de software, a mejor transferencia de conocimiento mejores requisitos de software. Además, la retroalimentación obtenida indica que la variable de motivación definida es la más influyente en el proceso de requisitos de software según el 41.67% de los encuestados, por encima de otras variables como: abstracción, metodología y disponibilidad de tiempo, cada una con 16.67% de los encuestados, y comprensibilidad con el 8.33% de los encuestados.Maestrí

Ontological analysis of means-end links

The i* community has raised several main dialects and dozens of variations in the definition of the i* language. Differences may be found related not just to the representation of new concepts but to the very core of the i* language. In previous work we have tackled this issue mainly from a syntactic point of view, using metamodels and syntactic-based model interoperability frameworks. In this paper, we go one step beyond and consider the use of foundational ontologies in general, and UFO in particular, as a way to clarify the meaning of core i* constructs and as the basis to propose a normative definition. We focus here on one of the most characteristics i* constructs, namely means-end links.Postprint (published version

Understanding How to Support Architects in Sharing Knowledge

In this paper we report on four years of case study research in a large software development organization, during which we built up understanding on how to effectively support software architects in sharing knowledge. By following a typical action research cycle we first diagnosed the architecting process of this organization, after which we designed and executed a therapy for the identified problems. The insights gained over the past few years have resulted in four lessons learned and have culminated in a theoretical framework of what architects do and what they need.