A Taxonomy and Visual Notation for Modeling Globally Distributed Requirements Engineering Projects

This paper presents a visual modeling notation for use in planning globally distributed requirements engineering projects. An underlying meta-model defines the elements of the modeling language, including site locations, stakeholder roles, communication flows, critical documents, and supporting tools and repositories. The modeling notation is motivated through the findings of eight in-depth interviews with requirements analysts who had worked on requirements elicitation, analysis, and specification tasks in globally distributed projects. We illustrate the modeling notation with examples drawn from telecommunications, video gaming, retail, and consulting projects. Based on a set of recurring problems and best practices identified in our interviews, the models are then analyzed, and specific recommendations are made to mitigate the identified risks.