10.29327/1298262.25-7
Requirements and requirements documentation debt (R2DD) indicate shortcuts taken in software development projects, resulting in requirements partially implemented and with outdated documentation, respec-tively. Knowing the causes and effects of R2DD can support software teams in defining actions to prevent the occurrence of these items and aid in the prioriti-zation for eliminating them, respectively. Besides, having information on how practitioners deal with R2DD items can support developing new strategies and artifacts for managing these items. However, little is known on the state of the practice of R2DD. [Aims:] To investigate the state of the practice of R2DD, re-vealing its causes, effects, and practices and practice avoidance reasons (PARs) considered for its prevention and repayment. [Method:] We analyzed quantita-tively and qualitatively a corpus of responses from a survey with software prac-titioners on R2DD and its elements (causes, effects, prevention, and repayment). [Results:] We identified 55 causes, 33 effects, 26 prevention practices, three PARs related to nonprevention, 18 repayment practices, and 16 PARs associated with nonrepayment of R2DD items. [Conclusion:] We organized those practices into a conceptual map. Software practitioners can use the map to start or improve their initiatives for dealing with R2DD items.
Requirements debt; Requirements documentation debt; Causes; Ef-fects; Technical debt prevention; Technical debt repayment
@inproceedings{wer202208,
author = {Barbosa, L. and Freire, S. and Rios, N. and Ramac, R. and Taušan, N. and Pérez, B. and Castellanos, C. and Correal, D. and Pacheco, A. and López, G. and Mandic, V. and Maciel, R. S. P. and Mendonça, M. and Falessi, D. and Izurieta, C. and Seaman, C. and Spínola, R.},
title = {Organizing the TD Management Landscape for Requirements and Requirements Documentation Debt},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the WER2022-25th Workshop on Requirements Engineering, Natal-RN, Brazil},
year = {2022},
issn = {2675-0066},
isbn = {978-65-00-73495-9},
doi = {10.29327/1298262.25-7}
}