CAST 2016

Requirement engineering is an important part of the software development lifecycle. Gathering the right information so we can build the right system is critical for a project’s success. Regardless of how this information takes form, whether it comes in formal requirement specifications, user stories, or even just general ideas in a spreadsheet, ­this first step is the key to reducing bugs in our software and building better quality products. It has been estimated that almost 50% of bugs are the result of poorly written requirements.

How can we avoid bad requirements and reduce the number of bugs in our products? We can have testers involved early in the requirements process and ensure that requirements are written to be complete, consistent, and testable. Although there are lots of methods that will help remove bugs from requirements, I believe a human factor (and ideally a tester) is needed to really understand what the stakeholders are trying to communicate. Testers bring a different perspective and dynamic skill set that can be very valuable in requirement gathering. Testers can become active participants in the requirement process, and should advocate for well written and testable requirements. This session will explore why testers should be involved in the requirement process, how they can contribute, and the impact on quality this can have on a project.