User-Centred Requirements Handbook

Abstract

This document describes the RESPECT framework for user requirements specification. The process is divided into a number of stages for gathering user requirements and developing the system concept. A range of data gathering methods are described to support the user requirements capture process.

Keywords

User-centred requirements, user-centred design, requirements engineering, usability

Executive Summary

This handbook is concerned with user-centred requirements specification. It has been produced as part of the Telematics Applications Programme RESPECT project (TE 2010). Its aim is to provide a formal basis for gathering user requirements equivalent to the specification of business requirements and technical requirements. The outcome is a documented set of user requirements and preliminary system design to meet those requirements. This version has been refined after its use by Telematics Applications projects and other organisations.

The handbook has a number of key characteristics:

• It starts from the point where system design goals are specified. It takes these goals and develops requirements from the end-user's point of view. Therefore it may be used alongside a process of analysing and developing the requirements of the Business (or organisation) and the Technical requirements.
• It is based upon an iterative process, drawn from the ISO 13407 draft standard for user-centred design. It comprises a cycle of three iterations: (i) User context and early design, (ii) Prototyping and user test, (iii) User requirements documentation. The outcome is a documented set of user requirements for the future new system or revised system.
• It is supported by a set of data collection methods and techniques for establishing user requirements, which are also described within this document.
• It can be used flexibly to fit in with different system design methods.

To use the handbook successfully, it is vital to work through the successive stages of Part B in a careful and comprehensive planned procedure.

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Audience for this document

This handbook is intended for use by project team members with responsibility for generating and maintaining user requirements.

It offers an overview of user requirements capture for project managers and provides background material for user representatives and technical designers. Staff concerned with requirements specification can use this document to guide them through the process. If they already have a procedure that they intend to follow, they may simply use the document to assist with specific activities such as running a discussion group or conducting interviews.

When using this document, requirements gathering personnel should be able to refer to someone with human factors, ergonomics or psychology skills, to ensure that the methods recommended in the document are being applied appropriately. Such a specialist would be able to identify potential problems with, for example, a survey form before it is administered, or an interview programme before costly interview time is used.

The extent of the work and reading needed to undertake user requirements specification is not as great as may first appear from the size of the document. Part A gives the background to the handbook, Part C is a reference source for guidance on a range of relevant methods, and Part D contains the references and blank master copies of the recommended forms. Part B is a guided process or framework for user-centred requirements and design, and is the central core.

To exploit the framework, design teams must work through the three successive stages of Part B in a steady and disciplined procedure. By careful and comprehensive use of the framework, you will certainly develop user requirements specifications and set usability goals of much greater accuracy and validity than are typical hitherto.

Acknowledgements

As with any integrative and prescriptive handbook in the modern world, this RESPECT User-Centred Requirements Handbook draws upon and owes much to the work of many others.

The Author therefore wishes to give full acknowledgement to significant contributors as follows:

At the HUSAT Research Institute, important contributions have been made by other members of the RESPECT team:

Professor Brian Shackel

Robert Graham

Colette Nicolle.

The authors of the RESPECT deliverable D3.1 'Methods for User-Oriented Requirements Specification', which Part C of this document draws from:

Dr Jurek Kirakowski, Human Factors Research Group, University College Cork

Keith Hurley

Natalie Vereker

The several RESPECT colleagues and other reviewers who have made valuable comments and inputs to previous drafts:-

Dr Nigel Bevan (RESPECT Project Co-ordinator) and

Owen Daly-Jones,Usability Services, National Physical Laboratory, UK.

Jan Heim, Tor Endestad, Jan Havard Sketjne, SINTEF Unimed Rehab, Norway.

Paulus Vossen, Fraunhofer Institute, Stuttgart.

Nigel Claridge, Nomos Management AB.

Sara Jones, University of Hertfordshire.

Michael J. Underwood.

The HUSAT developers of the Planning, Analysis and Specification (PAS) Toolset under the Esprit HUFIT Project, from which the basic approach of this Framework is drawn:

Margaret Flite-Galer

Bernard Catterall

Bronwen Taylor

Martin Maguire

Gordon Allison

The earlier work of other HUSAT experts including:

Leela Damodaran, Ken Eason, David Davies, Susan Harker, Wendy Olphert, Arthur Gardner, Jim McKenzie and Brian Shackel.

The developers of the Usability Context Analysis Handbook under the Esprit MUSiC project:

Dr Nigel Bevan, Rosemary Bowden, Richard Corcoran, Ian Curson, Mile Macleod, Jonathan Maissel, R. Rengger and Cathy Thomas, National Physical Laboratory

and Dr Andrew Dillon, Martin Maguire and Marian Sweeney, HUSAT Research Institute.

Contents