Requirements Engineering

A 3-Day Hands-on Course

Approach

This is a practical course in which participants learn and practise the basic skills of requirements engineering in a tool-independent way. Techniques used include goal setting, stakeholder and viewpoint analysis, conflict identification and resolution, scenario-based requirements elicitation and validation, template-based capture of non-functional requirements, identification of acceptance criteria, prioritisation, systematic review, and project information modelling.

The course is taught without assuming any particular tool, using practical exercises done in groups with results presented to the whole course for feedback. Participants learn how to engineer their requirements and to improve their work by reflecting on their own practice.

Structure

The first two days of the course consist of a detailed tour through the requirements engineering process, accompanied by exercises - each lasting 30-40 minutes - that the participants work on in groups. Participants present the results of each exercise; the course presenters lead a discussion of these with all participants to ensure that the teaching points on each topic have been understood. All the exercises are based on the same distributed, real-time hardware/software system, ensuring continuity throughout the coursework.

The third day applies the techniques learnt on the first part of the course. Participants select and agree 'projects' that they wish to work on with the course presenters. During the day, they work in 'project' groups, applying one or more chosen techniques, often to actual project data. Groups monitor their own progress and assess what works well for them, and what does not. Course presenters consult with each group in turn, offering suggestions where appropriate. The day concludes with presentations of each group's findings to all participants, and their own recommendations for further action.

Course Outline

Introduction to Requirements Engineering

The Systems Engineering Context
Concepts of Requirements Engineering
Books on Requirements

Requirements Elicitation

Identifying Business Objectives
Identifying Stakeholders & Viewpoints
Eliciting from Operational Roles
Eliciting from Non-Operational Roles
Checking & Validating
Structuring the Requirements
Reviewing the Requirements

System Specification

Specifying Desired Behaviour
Defining Non-Functional Requirements
Tracing Between Items
Reviewing the Specifications

Requirements Management

Controlling Change
Managing Requirements
Project Information Modelling
Selecting Requirements Management Tools

Accepting and Testing Against Requirements

Testing, Integration, Certification, Acceptance
Deriving Test Cases from Scenarios
Specifying Acceptance Criteria
Verifying Non-Functional Requirements

Hands-on Projects Workshop (1 Day)

Working on agreed group 'Projects', using the techniques learnt on the Course, facilitated by Course Presenters

Review and Conclusion

Target Audience includes (in alphabetical order):

Hardware and Software Engineers
Project Managers
Requirements Engineers
System Analysts
System Developers
System Engineers or those performing a de facto SE function within their organisation
Test and Verification Engineers

Course Presenters:

Ian Alexander

Ian graduated from Cambridge in Natural Sciences and has an MSc in Computing Science from Imperial College, London. He has extensive experience in requirements management training and consultancy with telecommunications, aerospace, and transportation companies. He is an expert in scenario-based requirements. His latest book, ‘Writing Better Requirements’, is published by Addison-Wesley. He helps to run the BCS Requirements Engineering Specialist Group and the IEE Professional Network for Systems Engineers. He is a Chartered Engineer.

Andrew Farncombe

Andrew has a first class honours degree and spent his early career in the software industry. He subsequently moved into the defence and aerospace sector where he held a number of senior technical and management positions including that of Technical Director, and led the codification of Systems Engineering knowledge and experience for one of the groups as a whole. At JBA he has applied Systems Engineering to the aerospace and transportation industries. Andrew is Visiting Professor of Systems Engineering at Cranfield University.

Some comments from those attending the course:

"Most valuable to see real life examples, hands-on exercises."
"Enjoyed the workshop hands on element and also the Q&A session which helped on project problems."
"[I liked the] ability to carry out hands on work alongside lectures."
"[I liked the] real working examples."
"This was the best course we’ve ever had here."
"Good practical advice that I can use in my work."

Finding out more

Prices on application. If you would like further information or to talk to someone about your Systems Engineering needs, please contact us as follows: