Target Setting for Technical Requirements in Time-Stamped Software Quality Function

Abstract

Technical requirements are hard to determine in software development. They are often specified subjectively in practice. Poorly determined technical requirements often lead to poor customer satisfaction, cost overrun, and delay in schedule, and poor quality. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is one of major engineering methods used to elicit customer’s needs and transforms them into technical requirements in industry. It has been applied to develop numerous products, including software systems, to improve their quality. However, target setting for technical software requirements is a complicated and challenging task in product development in Software Quality Function Deployment (SQFD). Current methods for target setting for technical software requirements do not consider their technical trends for a given timeframe. As a result, by the time of completion of a project the target values of technical requirements may not be competitive any more. In this paper, we first discuss benchmarking, primitive linear regression and target setting based on impact analysis to set targets for technical requirements in Software Quality Function Deployment (SQFD). We then develop a method of target setting for technical requirements by incorporating timeframe and the technical trend. It can help us to assess impact of both under-achieved and over-achieved targets. By incorporating the technical trend and the time of delivery of the product into target setting process, we can set targets for technical requirements that provide a competitive edge for our product over the competitor’s products and a high level of customer satisfaction.