Requirements capture as a cooperative activity

There is an interesting recognition that software development is not merely a mathematical or technological challenge, but a complex social process. The social process at the earliest stages of software development, i.e., scoping and capturing requirements, is examined. Some of the problems that can arise when insufficient attention is paid to the social process are considered together with alternative team structures. A cooperative requirements capture method called user skills task match (USTM) is presented, in which the social process is explicitly managed through use of a human facilitator and which provides a structured approach to the management of the requirements capture task. The cooperative approach is illustrated using a case study from the electricity distribution industry within the UK