Towards Quantum Software Requirements Engineering

TL;DR

This paper explores the relatively under-investigated area of requirements engineering for quantum software, proposing initial ideas on how it differs from classical requirements engineering and highlighting key discussion points.

Contribution

It provides an initial framework and discussion on quantum software requirements engineering, mapping classical requirements to the quantum context and identifying future research directions.

Findings

Quantum requirements engineering differs from classical in key aspects.

Mapping classical requirements to quantum software reveals unique challenges.

The paper highlights areas needing further research in QSRE.

Abstract

Quantum software engineering (QSE) is receiving increasing attention, as evidenced by increasing publications on topics, e.g., quantum software modeling, testing, and debugging. However, in the literature, quantum software requirements engineering (QSRE) is still a software engineering area that is relatively less investigated. To this end, in this paper, we provide an initial set of thoughts about how requirements engineering for quantum software might differ from that for classical software after making an effort to map classical requirements classifications (e.g., functional and extra-functional requirements) into the context of quantum software. Moreover, we provide discussions on various aspects of QSRE that deserve attention from the quantum software engineering community.