Complete thesis - Murdoch University

(Kamsties et al, 1998; Morris et al, 1998). The transfer and adoption of research findingsis also difficult (Nikula et al, 2000)• knowledge management during the requirements phases is a major problem (Zowghiet al, 2001), while Lubars et al (1993) concluded from an RE study involving 10 corporations,over 20 projects and approximately 90 developers, that as well as stafftraining not being well supported, many of the problems encountered were organisationalrather than technical. Other studies highlight the importance of non-technicalissues (Emam and Madhavji, 1995), including cultural differences (Zowghi et al, 2001),characteristics of the project managers (Carroll and Swatman, 1999) and communicationsbetween developers and users. Al-Rawas and Easterbrook (1996), in their studyof the problems associated with the process of RE, concur• issues resulting from a lack of expertise in RE activities is noted by James (1994)while discussions of both process improvement for RE (Sommerville and Sawyer, 1997)and important developments in the discipline. Nuseibeh and Easterbrook (2000) acknowledgethe value of ability and experience of the personnel and the importanceof the ‘environment’ of the system• And finally, Leite (2000)’s assertion, that formal education for RE is a major challengefor the next decade, is supported by Nikula et al (2000)’s conclusion (cited earlier)that general knowledge of RE in industry may be seen to be ‘quite weak’.Practitioners suggest that some of the issues confronting the discipline can be traced toformal education, in not addressing the gaps identified by them in education for softwaredevelopers in general, and Requirements Engineers specifically – most of the books andclasses are impractical (Bach, 1997). Although the technical competency of graduates can,in general, be assumed, other, softer, skills are considered by practitioners as lacking (see,for example Macauley and Mylopoulos (1995a); Lee (1999b); Lethbridge (2000); Lee (2004);Minor (2004)). These skills include• an understanding of business functions and organisational knowledge (Doke and Williams,1999; Noll and Wilikens, 2002)• the ability to teach themselves what they need to know to perform the task successfully(Lee, 1999b; Scott and Yates, 2002)• career resilience (Waterman et al, 1994)• interpersonal skills and personal attributes (Turley, 1991; Snoke and Underwood, 1999;Scott and Wilson, 2002; Macauley and Mylopoulos, 1995a; Minor, 2004)6