Abstract
The requirements engineering, information systems and software engineering communities recently advocated scenario-based approaches which emphasise the user/system interaction perspective in developing computer systems. Use of examples, scenes, narrative descriptions of contexts, mock-ups and prototypes-all these ideas can be called scenario-based approaches, although exact definitions are not easy beyond stating that these approaches emphasise some description of the real world. Experience seems to tell us that people react to ‘real things’ and that this helps in clarifying requirements. Indeed, the widespread acceptance of prototyping in system development points to the effectiveness of scenario-based approaches. However, we have little understanding about how scenarios should be constructed, little hard evidence about their effectiveness and even less idea about why they work.
The paper is an attempt to explore some of the issues underlying scenario-based approaches in requirements engineering and to propose a framework for their classification. The framework is a four-dimensional framework which advocates that a scenario-based approach can be well defined by itsform, content, purpose andlife cycle. Every dimension is itself multifaceted and a metric is associated with each facet. Motivations for developing the framework are threefold: (a) to help in understanding and clarifying existing scenario-based approaches; (b) to situate the industrial practice of scenarios; and (c) to assist researchers develop more innovative scenario-based approaches.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Gould JD. How to design usable systems. In: Bullinger HJ, Shackel B (eds). Proceedings of Interact ’87, North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1987
Caroll JM, The scenario perspective on system development. In: Carroll JM (ed). Scenario-based design: envisioning work and technology in system development, Wiley, New York, 1995, pp 1–18
Young MR, Barnard PB. The use of scenarios in human-computer interaction research: turbocharging the tortoise of cumulative science. CHI+GI 87 human factors in computing systems and graphics interface, Toronto, 1987
Jacobson I, Christerson M, Jonsson P, Oevergaard G. Object oriented software engineering: a use case driven approach, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1992
Jacobson I. The use case construct in object-oriented software engineering. In: Carroll JM (ed), Scenario-based design: envisioning work and technology in system development, Wiley, New York, 1995, pp 309–336
Kyng M. Creating contexts for design. In: Carroll JM (ed). Scenario-based design: envisioning work and technology in system development, Wiley, New York, 1995, pp 85–107
Potts C, Takahashi K, Anton AI. Inquiry-based requirements analysis. IEEE Software 1994;11(2):21–32
Prieto-Diaz R, Freeman P. Classifying software for reusability. IEEE Software 1987; 4(1)
Erickson T. Notes on design practice: stories and prototypes as catalysts for communication. In: Carroll EM (ed). Scenario-based design: envisioning work and technology in system development, 1995
Holbrook III CH. A scenario-based methodology for conducting requirement elicitation. ACM SIGSOFT Software Eng Notes 1990: 15(1):95–104
Rumbaugh J, Blaha M, Premerlani W, Eddy F, Lorensen W. Object-oriented modeling and design. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1991
Regnell B, Kimbler K, Wesslen A. Improving the use case driven approach to requirements engineering., In: Second IEEE international symposium on requirements engineering, York, ICS Press, March 1995, pp. 40–47
Rubin KS, Goldberg A. Object behaviour analysis. Commun ACM 1992;35(9):48–62
Gough PA, Fodemski FT, Higgins SA, Ray SJ. Scenario: an industrial case study and hypermedia enhancements. In: Second IEEE international symposium on requirements engineering, 1995
Wood DP, Christel MG, Stevens SM. A multimedia approach to requirements capture and modelling. In: Proceedings of ICRE ′94, Colorado Springs, 1994
Benner KM, Feather S, Johnson WL, Zorman LA. Utilising scenarios in the software development process. In: IFIP WG 8.1 working conference on information systems development process, December 1992, pp 117–134
Hsia P, Samuel J, Gao J, Kung D, Toyoshima Y, Chen C. Formal approach to scenario analysis. IEEE Software 1994;33–41
Lalioti V. Theodoulidis B. Use of scenarios for validation of conceptual specification. Proceedings of the sixth workshop on the next generation of CASE tolls, Jyvaskyla, Finland, June 1995
Glinz M. An integrated formal model of scenarios based on statecharts. Lecture Notes Computer Science ′95 1995; 254–271
Harel D. Statecharts: a visual formalism for complex systems, Sci Comput Prog 1987;8:231–274
Koskimies K, Mossenbock H. Scene:, using scenario diagrams and active text for illustrating object-oriented programs. In: Proceedings of ICSE-18, 1995, pp 366–375
De Pauw W, Helm R, Kimelman D, Vlissides J. Visualizing the behavior of object-oriented systems. In: Proceedings of OOPLA ’93, SIGPLAN Notices 28(10), October 1993
Jackson M. Software requirements and specifications, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1996
Rosson MB, Carroll JM. Narrowing the specification implementation gap in scenario-based design. In: Carroll JM (ed). Scenario-based design: envisioning work and technology in system development, Wiley, New York, 1995, pp 247–278
Kuutti K. Work processes: scenarios as a preliminary vocabulary. In: Carroll JM (ed). Scenario-based design: envisioning work and technology in system development, Wiley, New York, 1995, pp 19–36
Iivari J Levels of abstraction as a conceptual framework for an information system. In: Falkenberg ED, Lindgren P (eds). Information system concepts: an in-depth analysis, North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1989, pp 323–352
Wexelblat A. Report on scenario technology. MCC Technical Report STP-139-87. Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation, Austin, TX, 1987
Johnson P, Johnson H, Wilson S. Rapid prototyping of user interfaces driven by task models. In: Carroll JM (ed). Scenario-based design: envisioning work and technology in system development. Wiley, New York, 1995. pp 209–246
Iivari J. Object-oriented information system analysis: comparative analysis of six object-oriented analysis methods. In: Verrijn-Stuart A, Olle TW (eds). IFIP transactions: methods and associated tools for the information system life cycle, North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1990
Conklin J, Begemann ML. gIBIS: a hypertext tool for exploratory policy discussion. ACMTOOIS 1988;6(4):303–331
Conklin JE, Burges Yakemovic KC. A process oriented approach to design rationale. Hum Comput Interact 1991; 6(3–4):357–391
Iivari J. Object-oriented design of information systems: the design process. In: Van Assche V, Moulin B, Rolland C (eds). Proceedings of the IFIP TC8/WG8.1 working conference on the object oriented approach in information systems, Canada. North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1991
Olle TW, Hagelstein J, MacDonald IG, Rolland C, Sol HG, Van Assche FJM, Verrijn-Stuart AA. Information systems methodology: a framework for understanding, 2nd edn. Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1992
Firesmith DG. Modeling the dynamic behaviour of systems, mechanisms, and classes with scenarios. In: Software DevCon ′94, SIGS Publications, New York 1994, pp 73–82
Rawsthorne DA. Capturing functional requirements through object interactions. In: Proceedings of ICRE ′96, IEEE, 1996, pp 60–67
Somé S, Dssouli R, Vaucher J. Toward an automation of requirements engineering using scenarios. J Comput Inform, Special issue: ICCI ′96, 8th international conference of computing and information, Waterloo, Canada 1996;2(1):1110–1132
Bubenko J. Enterprise modelling. Ingen Syst Inform 1994; 2(6)
Yu E, Mylopoulos J. Using goals, rules, and methods to support reasoning in business process reengineering In: Proceedings of the 27th Hawaii international conference on system sciences, Maui, Hawaii, Vol IV, 1994, pp 243–243
Dardenne A, Lamsweerde AV, Fickas S. Goal-directed requirements acquisition. Sci Comput Program 1993;20:3–50
Jacobson I, Ericsson M, Jacobson A. The object advantage, business process reengineering with object technology. Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1995
Rumbaugh J, Booch G. Unified method, notation summary, Version 0.8. Rational Software Corporation, 1996
Pohl K. Process centered requirements engineering. Wiley, New York, 1996
Wright P. What’s in a scenario. SIGCHI Bull 1992; 24(4) Nardi BA. The use of scenarios in design. SIGCHI Bull 24(4) pp 11–12
Nardi, BA: The use of scenarios in design. SIGCHI Bulletin, 1992;24(4):pp 13–14
Campbell RL. Will the real scenario please stand up? SIGCHI Bull 1992;24(2):pp 6–8
Anderson JS, Durney B. Using scenarios in deficiencydriven requirements engineering. In: IEEE international symposium on requirements engineering, RE ′93, San Diego, 1993, pp 134–141
Wirfs-Brock R. Designing objects and their interactions: a brief look at responsibility-driven design. In: Carroll JM (ed). Scenario-based design: envisioning work and technology in system development, Wiley, New York, 1995, pp 337–360
Robertson SP. Generating object-oriented design representations via scenarios queries. In: Carroll JM (ed). Scenario-based design: envisioning work and technology in system development, Wiley, New York, 1995, pp 279–308
Crowley DJ. Understanding communication: the signifying web. Gordon & Breach, New York, 1982
Crews Esprit project. Industrial Steering Committee meeting slides, October 1996
Rolland C, Grosz G. A general framework for describing the requirements engineering process. In: International conference on systems, man and cybernetics, San Antonio, TX, October 1994
Dubois E, Du Bois P, Dubru F, Petit M. Agent-oriented requirements engineering: a case study using the ALBERT language. In: Proceedings of the fourth international working conference on dynamic modelling and information systems (DYNMOD ′94), Noordwijkerhout, September 1994
Takahashi K, Potts C, Kumar V, Ota K, Smith JD. Hypermedia support for collaboration in requirements analysis. In: Proceedings of ICRE ′96, IEEE Colorado Springs, USA, 1996
Anton AI, McCracken WM, Potts C. Goal decomposition and scenario analysis in business process reengineering. In: Proceedings of the 6th conference on advanced information systems engineering, Utrecht, 1994, pp 94–104
Rumbaugh J. Getting started. J Object-Oriented Program 1994;7:8–23
Koskimies K, Mannisto T, Systa T, Tuomi J. On the role of scenarios in object-oriented software design. Technical report, Series of Publications A (A-1996-1), Department of Computer Science, University of Tampere, Finland, 1996
Scalzo B. UPROAR: User processes reveal objects and requirements. In: OOPSLA ′95, Workshop on use cases, 1995
Weidenhaupt K, Pohl K, Jarke M, Haumer P. CREWS team: scenario usage in system development: a report on current practice. IEEE Software 1998 (to appear)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work is partly funded by the Basic Research Action CREWS (ESPRIT No 21.903). CREWS stands for Cooperative Requirements Engineering With Scenarios.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rolland, C., Ben Achour, C., Cauvet, C. et al. A proposal for a scenario classification framework. Requirements Eng 3, 23–47 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02802919
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02802919