Requirements engineering current practice and capability in small and medium software development enterprises in New Zealand

TL;DR

This study investigates requirements engineering practices in New Zealand's small and medium software firms, comparing them to international standards and assessing their capabilities through surveys and frameworks.

Contribution

It provides an empirical analysis of current requirements engineering practices and capabilities in New Zealand's SME software companies, filling a gap in regional industry data.

Findings

Practices vary significantly from international best practices

Most companies have moderate requirements engineering capabilities

Identifies areas for improvement in requirements processes

Abstract

This paper presents research on current industry practices with respect to requirements engineering as implemented within software development companies in New Zealand. A survey instrument is designed and deployed. The results are analysed and compared against what is internationally considered "best practice" and previous New Zealand and Australian studies. An attempt is made to assess the requirements engineering capability of New Zealand companies using both formal and informal frameworks.