The Role Clarity Framework to Improve Requirements Gathering

Abstract

Incorrect and incomplete requirements have been reported as two of the top reasons for information systems (IS) project failures. In order to address these concerns, several IS analysis and design studies have focused on understanding the business needs and organizational factors prior to specifying the requirements. In this research, we add to the existing incremental solutions, such as the work system method and goal-oriented requirements engineering, by proposing the Role Clarity Framework drawn from the theories of “role dynamics” and “goal setting and task performance” in organization studies. The Role Clarity Framework consists of three main concepts related to any organizational role: expectations, activities, and consequences. Based on the interactions among different roles, this framework demonstrates how the business goals and activities of each role, as played out by IS users, are formed and/or changed in the organization. Finally, the Role Clarity Framework helps IS analysts to improve their communication with users and anticipate changes in their requirements, thus improving the gathering of requirements for IS design.