Identifying Risks for Collaborative Systems during Requirements Engineering: An Ontology-Based Approach

Abstract

A risk is an undesirable event that can result in mishaps if not identified early on during requirements engineering adequately. However, identifying risks can be challenging, and requirements engineers may not always be aware if risks are ignored. In this paper, we present Murphy -a framework for performing risk analysis. Murphy adopts the Reference Model, in which requirements are supposed to be met not by the projected software system behavior alone but through collaboration between the system and events occurring in its environment, hence the term Collaborative System. Murphy provides risk analysis facilities that include an activity-oriented ontology for carrying out risk analysis by systematically identifying risky activities in the system and in the environment, thereby obtaining a Risk Analysis Graph (RAG) and towards devising risk mitigation strategies later. In order to see both the strengths and weaknesses of Murphy, we experimented on developing a smartphone app involving a group of Ph.D. and senior-level graduate students -one group using Murphy and the other not using Murphy. Our observation, we feel, shows that the risks identified by the group using Murphy were able to identify more critical risks and those risks were comprehensive and relevant as. well. The results also showed that incorporating risk mitigation strategies for the risks identified can indeed help avoid them to some extent.

Identifying Risks and Risk Mitigation Strategies for Collaborative Systems during Requirements Engineering: A Goal-Oriented Approach (S)

“…We extend our previous research, the Murphy framework [12] [13], with goal-orientation. This new framework, the Murphy+G supports goal-oriented risk identification and analysis for collaborative systems.…”

“…to validate the risk identification and analysis process and to devise risk-mitigation strategies. We have adopted the Murphy Assistant tool from our previous work [12,13] and extended it…”