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Agile requirements engineering practices and challenges: an empirical study
Article first published online: 13 NOV 2007
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2575.2007.00259.x
© 2007 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd
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How to Cite
Ramesh, B., Cao, L. and Baskerville, R. (2010), Agile requirements engineering practices and challenges: an empirical study. Information Systems Journal, 20: 449–480. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2575.2007.00259.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 5 AUG 2010
- Article first published online: 13 NOV 2007
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- requirements engineering;
- agile software development;
- requirements engineering risks;
- agile practices
Abstract
This paper describes empirical research into agile requirements engineering (RE) practices. Based on an analysis of data collected in 16 US software development organizations, we identify six agile practices. We also identify seven challenges that are created by the use of these practices. We further analyse how this collection of practices helps mitigate some, while exacerbating other risks in RE. We provide a framework for evaluating the impact and appropriateness of agile RE practices by relating them to RE risks. Two risks that are intractable by agile RE practices emerge from the analysis. First, problems with customer inability and a lack of concurrence among customers significantly impact agile development. Second, risks associated with the neglecting non-functional requirements such as security and scalability are a serious concern. Developers should carefully evaluate the risk factors in their project environment to understand whether the benefits of agile RE practices outweigh the costs imposed by the challenges.