Representing open requirements with a fragment-based specification

The paper describes and evaluates an alternative representation scheme for software applications in which the requirements are poorly understood or dynamic (i.e., open). The discussion begins with a classification of requirements specification properties and their relationship to the software process. Emphasis is placed on the representation schemes that are most appropriate for projects with open requirements in a flexible development setting. Fragment-based specifications, which capture a conceptual model of the product under development, are recommended for such applications. The paper describes an environment, in production use since 1980, that employs this form of specification. Evaluations of the environment´s economic benefit and of the specification scheme´s properties follow. A final section contains observations about the nature of future software applications and the environments necessary to support their development and maintenance