Contextual attributes impacting the effectiveness of requirements elicitation techniques: mapping theoretical and empirical research

Abstract

Background: Software engineers can utilise a myriad of elicitation techniques to capture relevant information in order to specify requirements. The effectiveness of these techniques varies depending on the context in which the elicitation takes place. So, it is important to identify the attributes that represent this context. Objective: This paper aims to match theoretical to empirical research on contextual attributes that influence elicitation technique effectiveness. Method: We conduct a systematic mapping study to identify proposed attributes (by theoretical works) and attributes studied empirically. Then we map empirical results with theoretical proposals. Results: 60% of theoretically proposed attributes have been studied empirically. There seems to be some degree of coordination between theory and empiricism. However, there is empirical confirmation of the impact of only a third of the theoretically proposed attributes. Conclusions: These results call for more empirical research in order to evaluate beliefs with respect to elicitation techniques.