Extending Application of Non-verbal Communication to Effective Requirement Elicitation

Abstract

Requirements elicitation is the first stage in the process of developing a software product. The purpose of the requirements elicitation process is to build an understanding of the problem. It is fundamentally a communication process between a requirements elicitor and various Stakeholders. Interviewing stakeholder during Elicitation process is a communication intensive activity involving various techniques & tactics requiring communication skills apart from experience and knowledge. Interview involves Verbal and Non-verbal communication. Generally during Interview process Requirement is elicited via verbal Communication. A lot of work has been done to improve the Interview process and to observe and document verbal communication but the area of Non-verbal communication is still unexplored in the field of Requirement Elicitation. Interviewer should give emphasis to Non-verbal communication along with verbal communication so that he can elicit requirements more efficiently and effectively. In this paper we emphasize on Behavioral Aspects of Non-verbal communication i.e. the use of facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, Tone of voice, body posture, orientation, touch, and various cues and signals such as distance, amused, sleepy, pitch, sound, pacing, shaking, sweating are important in nonverbal communication during interviews for eliciting requirements. In this paper we have discussed our findings i.e. behavioral aspects, cues and signals during non verbal communication, these aspects of Non-Verbal Communication are to be followed to minimize problems encountered during requirement elicitation, so that the requirement are elicited and recorded properly.