User requirements capture and specification

The authors identify `poor communication of the need´ as one of the significant causes of dissatisfaction in the acquisition of complex systems and consider that this stems from differing perceptions of the problem domain. The authors have outlined their approach to the development and implementation of a new method for capturing and expressing requirements and, on the basis of the work undertaken to date, they consider that it will provide a qualitative improvement over current practice. However, they can find only one test that provides quantitatively meaningful results when applied to any method, structured or otherwise, used to develop specifications. That is. did the customer consider that he got what he asked for?