Factors Affecting Requirements Elicitation for Heterogeneous Users of Information Systems
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Date
2015Author
Ronoh, Lilian Cherotich
Muchiri, Geoffrey Muketha
Wabwoba, Franklin
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Show full item recordAbstract
Modern organizations keep up with the fast changing
technology through successful info
rmation systems development and
integration to automate their business operations. Among others, this
can be achieved through effective requirements elicitation which a
sub-phase of requirements engineering. It is recognized as one of the
most critical, knowledge-intensive phase therefore determining the
overall success or failure of the information system. In a setup
whereby users are heterogeneous by nature, requirements elicitation
becomes quite challenging. To improve the effectiveness of the
requirements elicitation process from this type of users, the analysts
should determine the factors that affect this process which are unique
to this type of users. To address this issue, we have conducted
research in two Kenyan public universities whereby information
systems users are heterogeneous
in nature. The objective of the study
was to determine the factors that affect requirements elicitation
process among heterogeneous user
groups of information systems.
Nine factors were identified by us
ing multiple regression analysis
namely, users’ availability, users’
and analysts’ diverse cultural
background, users’ geographical distribution, communication issues,
users’ awareness and training on the process, technique used,
institutional politics and bureaucracy, requirements elicitation policy
and user's cooperation & motivation. These factors form a practical
guide that can help analysts to consider before carrying out
requirements elicitation from heterogeneous users