Requirements acquisition

An overview of knowledge engineering research, practice, theories, methodologies, and tools is presented, and parallels are drawn with analogous phenomena and activities in requirements engineering. Knowledge based systems are distinguished from other advanced information systems by their reflective emphasis on meta information processing about the basis of system operation. In terms of requirements elicitation, this corresponds to an emphasis on maintaining an audit trail from requirements through design, implementation, use and maintenance that supports continuing user involvement in system specification, design and evolution. Examples of knowledge elicitation methodologies and tools are provided, and it is suggested that they all have some applicability in requirements elicitation for advanced information system development. It is concluded that closer collaboration between the knowledge engineering and requirements engineering communities will be mutually beneficial