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Requirements elicitation techniques are methods used by analysts to determine the needs of customers and users, so that systems can be built with a high probability of satisfying those needs. Analysts with extensive experience seem to be more successful than less experienced analysts in uncovering the user needs. Less experienced analysts often select a technique based on one of two reasons: (a) it is the only one they know, or (b) they think that a technique that worked well last time must surely be appropriate this time. This paper presents the results of in-depth interviews with some of the world's most experienced analysts. These results demonstrate how they select elicitation techniques based on a variety of situational assessments.

By its very nature, software development consists of many knowledge-intensive processes. One of the most difficult to model, however, is requirements elicitation. This paper presents a mathematical model of the requirements elicitation process that clearly shows the critical role of knowledge in its performance. One metaprocess of requirements elicitation, selection of an appropriate elicitation technique, is also captured in the model. The values of this model are: (1) improved understanding of what needs to be performed during elicitation helps analysts improve their elicitation efforts, (2) improved understanding of how elicitation techniques are selected helps less experienced analysts be as successful as more experienced analysts, and (3) as we improve our ability to perform elicitation, we improve the likelihood that the systems we create will meet their intended customers' needs. Many papers have been written that promulgate specific elicitation methods. A few have been written that model elicitation in general. However, none have yet to model elicitation in a way that makes clear the critical role played by knowledge. This paper's model captures the critical roles played by knowledge in both elicitation and elicitation technique selection.

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INTRODUCTIONThe current state of building information systems is terrible. At least $185 billion is wasted on development projects that fail, often because the software does not satisfy users' needs (Standish Group, 1995). Although there are many possible reasons for these failures, problems related to ABSTRACT Many software development projects fail because the resulting software does not satisfy user needs. The process of determining user needs is generally termed requirements elicitation. Although there are many possible reasons for software failures, if analysts practiced more effective requirements elicitation, fewer projects would fail. Although hundreds of requirements elicitation techniques have been developed by researchers to aid analysts in effectively determining user needs, few have ever been used by practitioners. This paper reports on research to study the nature of the gap between requirements elicitation technique availability and use, identifies the major factors that impact the transfer of elicitation techniques to practice, and explores how to improve the transfer of elicitation techniques from research to practice. understanding users' needs are consistently identified as among the most important (Standish Group, 1999). Requirements elicitation techniques are the means by which systems analysts determine the problems, opportunities, and needs of the customers, so that systems development personnel can construct systems that actually resolve those problems, leverage those opportunities, and/or address customers' needs. In response to a less-than-acceptable rate of failure of systems, hundreds of elicitation techniques have been created by researchers. But the majority of these techniques are rarely, if ever, used by practitioners. Solutions appear to be available, yet we continuously fail to make use of them. Given this gap between elicitation technique technology availability and use, barriers to the successful transfer of requirements elicitation techniques from researchers to practitioners appear to exist.Problems with the transfer of new requirements elicitation techniques to practice impact more than the software development industry. First, information technology, and more specifically the information systems software that supports an organization' s operations, is critical to the success of the vast majority of organizations today. Therefore, any problem that impacts the successful development of those systems impacts all organizations. Second, information technology (e.g., knowledge management systems) is viewed as a key enabler of technology transfer and information dissemination. Therefore, the successful development of information systems potentially impacts the successful transfer of many other technologies. Third, continuous process improvement, and the transfer of new processes and knowledge required to support that improvement, is a necessity in today' s rapidly changing and competitive environment. Therefore, problems with the transfer of processes such as new requirements elic...

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