Cultural Influences on Requirements Engineering Process in the Context of Saudi Arabia

TL;DR

This paper investigates how Saudi Arabian cultural factors influence the Requirements Engineering process, proposing a model based on Hofstede's theory and analyzing its impact through a pilot case study.

Contribution

It introduces a culturally-aware RE model tailored to Saudi Arabia, highlighting key cultural factors affecting RE practices.

Findings

Identified 6 RE aspects influenced by culture

Discovered 10 cultural factors impacting RE

Model applied successfully in a Saudi context

Abstract

Software development requires intensive communication between the requirements engineers and software stakeholders, particularly during the Requirements Engineering (RE) phase. Therefore, the individuals' culture might influence both the RE process and the result. Our aims are to investigate the extend of cultural influences on the RE process, and to analyze how the RE process can be adapted to take into account cultural aspects. The model we present is based on Hofstede's cultural theory. The model was applied on a pilot case study in the context of the conservative Saudi Arabian culture. The results reveal 6 RE aspects and 10 cultural factors that have a large impact on the RE practice.