What have we learnt from the challenges of (semi‐) automated requirements traceability? A discussion on blockchain applicability
Abstract Over the last 3 decades, researchers have attempted to shed light into the requirements traceability problem by introducing tracing tools, techniques, and methods with the vision of achieving ubiquitous traceability. Despite the technological advances, requirements traceability remains prob...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-12-01
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| Series: | IET Software |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1049/sfw2.12035 |
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| author | Selina Demi Mary Sanchez‐Gordon Ricardo Colomo‐Palacios |
| author_facet | Selina Demi Mary Sanchez‐Gordon Ricardo Colomo‐Palacios |
| author_sort | Selina Demi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Over the last 3 decades, researchers have attempted to shed light into the requirements traceability problem by introducing tracing tools, techniques, and methods with the vision of achieving ubiquitous traceability. Despite the technological advances, requirements traceability remains problematic for researchers and practitioners. This study aims to identify and investigate the main challenges in implementing (semi‐)automated requirements traceability, as reported in the recent literature. A systematic literature review was carried out based on the guidelines for systematic literature reviews in software engineering, proposed by Kitchenham. We retrieved 4530 studies by searching five major bibliographic databases and selected 70 primary studies. These studies were analysed and classified according to the challenges they present and/or address. Twenty‐one challenges were identified and were classified into five categories. Findings reveal that the most frequent challenges are technological challenges, in particular, low accuracy of traceability recovery methods. Findings also suggest that future research efforts should be devoted to the human facet of tracing, to explore traceability practices in organisational settings, and to develop traceability approaches that support agile and DevOps practices. Finally, it is recommended that researchers leverage blockchain technology as a suitable technical solution to ensure the trustworthiness of traceability information in interorganisational software projects. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2bc23dc41d604783b0a1eb7b95c61193 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1751-8806 1751-8814 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IET Software |
| spelling | doaj-art-2bc23dc41d604783b0a1eb7b95c611932025-08-20T02:04:31ZengWileyIET Software1751-88061751-88142021-12-0115639141110.1049/sfw2.12035What have we learnt from the challenges of (semi‐) automated requirements traceability? A discussion on blockchain applicabilitySelina Demi0Mary Sanchez‐Gordon1Ricardo Colomo‐Palacios2Faculty of Computer Sciences Østfold University College Halden NorwayFaculty of Computer Sciences Østfold University College Halden NorwayFaculty of Computer Sciences Østfold University College Halden NorwayAbstract Over the last 3 decades, researchers have attempted to shed light into the requirements traceability problem by introducing tracing tools, techniques, and methods with the vision of achieving ubiquitous traceability. Despite the technological advances, requirements traceability remains problematic for researchers and practitioners. This study aims to identify and investigate the main challenges in implementing (semi‐)automated requirements traceability, as reported in the recent literature. A systematic literature review was carried out based on the guidelines for systematic literature reviews in software engineering, proposed by Kitchenham. We retrieved 4530 studies by searching five major bibliographic databases and selected 70 primary studies. These studies were analysed and classified according to the challenges they present and/or address. Twenty‐one challenges were identified and were classified into five categories. Findings reveal that the most frequent challenges are technological challenges, in particular, low accuracy of traceability recovery methods. Findings also suggest that future research efforts should be devoted to the human facet of tracing, to explore traceability practices in organisational settings, and to develop traceability approaches that support agile and DevOps practices. Finally, it is recommended that researchers leverage blockchain technology as a suitable technical solution to ensure the trustworthiness of traceability information in interorganisational software projects.https://doi.org/10.1049/sfw2.12035organisational aspectssystems analysissoftware development managementbibliographic systemsinformation retrievalsoftware quality |
| spellingShingle | Selina Demi Mary Sanchez‐Gordon Ricardo Colomo‐Palacios What have we learnt from the challenges of (semi‐) automated requirements traceability? A discussion on blockchain applicability IET Software organisational aspects systems analysis software development management bibliographic systems information retrieval software quality |
| title | What have we learnt from the challenges of (semi‐) automated requirements traceability? A discussion on blockchain applicability |
| title_full | What have we learnt from the challenges of (semi‐) automated requirements traceability? A discussion on blockchain applicability |
| title_fullStr | What have we learnt from the challenges of (semi‐) automated requirements traceability? A discussion on blockchain applicability |
| title_full_unstemmed | What have we learnt from the challenges of (semi‐) automated requirements traceability? A discussion on blockchain applicability |
| title_short | What have we learnt from the challenges of (semi‐) automated requirements traceability? A discussion on blockchain applicability |
| title_sort | what have we learnt from the challenges of semi automated requirements traceability a discussion on blockchain applicability |
| topic | organisational aspects systems analysis software development management bibliographic systems information retrieval software quality |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1049/sfw2.12035 |
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