This research quantified the role of the different factors of rework including project planning (PP), software requirements specifications document quality (SRSDQ), software testing (ST), software requirements management (SRM), software requirements traceability (SRT), maturity of software development life cycle (SDLC) approach (MSDLCA), changing requirements (CR) & scope creep (SC) with rework & project success (PS) using automated software requirements management tools (UseofSRMT). The underlying associations of the above factors of rework in SDLC and UseofSRMT with rework & PS were quantified through a survey conducted in the software houses. The study quantified the magnitude of rework which was increased/decreased by these factors of rework. The study also quantified the magnitude of PS increased/decreased by these factors of rework. This study concluded that UseofSRMT played a moderating role between factors of rework and PS. The study also quantified the mediating role of rework between the factors of rework & PS. The study contributed that rework was avoidable in SDLC. Major causes of unsuccessful software projects were determined. Most effective features of software requirements management tools (SRMT) were considered to determine their role as an effective methodology for PS. PS could never be guaranteed by just achieving project milestones/goals in terms of the triple constraints of time, budget & schedule.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Problem Statement
1.3 Main Research Questions
1.3.1 Sub Research Questions
1.4 Rationale of Study
1.5 Significance of Study
1.6 Main Objectives of Study
1.6.1 Sub Objectives of Study
1.7 Overview of the Study
2 Literature Review
2.1 Role of Project Planning in Project Success
2.2 Software Testing and Criteria of Project Success
2.3 Role of Changing Requirements, Software Requirements Management & Software Requirements Traceability in Project Success
2.4 Role of Maturity of SDLC Approach and SRS Management in Project Success
2.5 Scope Creep and Rework Role in project Success
2.6 UseofSRMT and Project Success
2.7 Theoretical Framework
2.8 Hypotheses in Sequential Order
3. Research Methodology
3.1 Elements of Research Design
3.1.1 Quantitative Analysis
3.1.2 Type of Study
3.1.3 Extent of Researcher Interference
3.1.4 Mode of Observation and Study Setting
3.1.5 Time Schedule
3.1.6 Study Population
3.1.7 Unit of Analysis and Sample Design
3.1.8 Data Measuring Instruments
3.1.9 Data Analysis
3.1.10 Measures Observed for Collecting Realistic Data
3.2 Coding of data
3.3 Pretests
3.3.1 Preliminary Survey
3.3.2 Pilot Study
4. Results and Discussions
4.1 Introducing Variables in Research
4.2 Demographic Analysis
4.2.1 Company wise survey participation
4.2.2 Gender wise survey participation
4.2.3 Projects completion status wise survey participation
4.2.4 Shapiro-Wilk test of normality of data
4.3 Descriptive Analysis
4.3.1 Software Requirements Management
4.3.2 Software Testing
4.3.3 SRS Document Quality
4.3.4 Maturity of SDLC Approach
4.3.5 Software Requirements Traceability
4.3.6 Scope Creep
4.3.7 Project Planning
4.3.8 UseofSRMT
4.3.9 Changing Requirements
4.3.10 Project Success
4.3.11 Rework
4.4 Model Identification
4.5 Model Evaluation and Realibility
4.6 Hypothesis Testing
4.6.1 H1: Factors of rework is negatively related with rework
4.6.2 H2: Factors of rework is positively related with project success
4.6.3 H3: UseofSRMT moderated relationship between factors of rework & PS
4.6.4 H4: Rework mediated the relationship between factors of rework & PS
4.6.5 H1.1: UseofSRMT is negatively related with rework & positively with PS
4.6.6 H1.2: Rework is negatively related with Project Success
4.6.7 H1.3: PP is negatively related with rework & positively with PS
4.6.8 H1.4: SRSDQ is negatively related with rework & positively with PS
4.6.9 H1.5: ST is negatively related with rework & positively with PS
4.6.10 H1.6: SRM is negatively related with rework & positively with PS
4.6.11 H1.7: SRT is negatively related with rework & positively with PS
4.6.12 H1.8: MSDLCA is negatively related with rework & positively with PS
4.6.13 H1.9: CR is negatively related with PS & positively with rework
4.6.14 H1.10: SC is negatively related with PS & positively with rework
4.7 Regession Analysis for Project Success
4.7.1 Regression Analysis for Rework
4.8 Moderation
4.8.1 Moderating Role of UseofSRMT between Rework and PS
4.8.2 Moderating Role of UseofSRMT between Factors of Rework and PS
4.8.3 Mediating Role of rework between Factors of Rework and Project Success
4.9 Findings
4.10 Hypothesis Status
5. Conclusion
5.1 Conclusion
5.2 Contribution of the Study
5.3 Study Challenges
5.4 Limitations
5.5 Future Research
Research Objective and Focus
This research aims to quantify how various factors, such as project planning, software requirements document quality, testing, traceability, and maturity of the development lifecycle, influence rework and overall project success. The study specifically investigates the moderating role of automated software requirements management tools (SRMT) in these relationships to provide evidence-based insights into improving project outcomes.
- Impact of requirements engineering processes on software productivity.
- Quantification of rework factors including scope creep and changing requirements.
- Moderating influence of automated requirements management tools on project success.
- Identification of primary causes for software project failure.
- Evaluation of rework mediation in the relationship between project factors and success.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Introduction
Well-structured requirements engineering (RE) process improved overall software productivity (Damian et al, 2005). Project success (PS) is ensured with RE which is a legitimate phase of software development life cycle (SDLC). RE process consisted of requirement definition and software requirements management phases (Hennicker and Koch, 2000). The requirements definition phase leads to software requirements specification (SRS) document. Software requirements management (SRM) process consists of software requirements documentation, changing requirements (CR) management and software requirements traceability (SRT) processes (Gorschek, 2006). Software requirements consistency and completeness was associated with software project success (PS) (Osmundson et al, 2003). A UK based survey found that poor SRM caused 48% of problems in software development life cycle (SDLC) (Hall, Beecham and Rainer, 2002). NASA projects data found that projects which invested more than 10% resources for software requirements management resulted in low project cost and less schedule overruns compared to those projects which invested less effort to requirements management processes and methodologies (Ivy and Kristin, 2001).
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER 1: This chapter provides an introduction to the research, defining the scope, problem statement, research questions, and objectives concerning software requirements management and project success.
CHAPTER 2: This chapter presents a literature review covering key factors like project planning, software testing, requirement changes, and the role of automated tools in project success.
CHAPTER 3: This chapter outlines the research design, detailing the quantitative methodology, data collection instruments, and the statistical analysis approach used for the survey.
CHAPTER 4: This chapter details the results and discussion, providing descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and hypothesis testing based on the gathered survey data.
CHAPTER 5: This chapter provides the conclusion, summarizes the study's contributions, outlines challenges encountered, discusses limitations, and suggests areas for future research.
Keywords
Software Requirements Management, Rework, Project Success, SDLC, Requirements Traceability, Scope Creep, Software Testing, Project Planning, Moderating Role, Mediating Role, Software Engineering, Quantitative Analysis, Requirements Specification, Software Quality, Productivity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on quantifying the relationship between various rework-inducing factors in the software development lifecycle and overall project success, with a special emphasis on the impact of automated requirements management tools.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed in this work?
Key themes include software requirements engineering, project planning, software testing, scope management, and the management of changing requirements throughout the development process.
What is the primary research question?
The study seeks to identify how factors like project planning, requirement document quality, and scope creep are associated with rework and project success, and whether the use of software requirements management tools acts as a moderator in these associations.
Which research methodology is employed?
The study utilizes a quantitative approach based on a survey conducted among 224 respondents across 18 major software houses in Lahore, Pakistan, employing relational research design and statistical analysis including regression and correlation.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers a comprehensive literature review, the detailed research design, demographic and descriptive analyses of the surveyed projects, model identification, hypothesis testing, and a moderating/mediating analysis.
Which keywords define this study?
The study is best characterized by keywords such as software requirements management, rework, project success, SDLC, requirements traceability, and scope creep.
How does this study define rework in software projects?
Rework is defined as the work performed again because it was not properly done the first time, categorized into corrective, retrospective, and evolutionary types, which significantly impacts project cost, schedule, and quality.
What role do automated tools play according to the author?
The author concludes that automated software requirements management tools play a significant moderating role, helping to streamline communication, reduce rework, and enhance the chances of project success by ensuring requirements are traceable and manageable.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Faisal Adnan (Autor:in), Dr. Imran Haider Naqvi (Autor:in), 2015, Role of software requirements management tools in rework & software project success, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/307194
