An Extended Replication of an Experiment for AssessingMethods for Software Requirements Inspections

  • Authors:

  • Kristian Sandahl;Ola Blomkvist;Joachim Karlsson;Christian Krysander;Mikael Lindvall;Niclas Ohlsson

  • Affiliations:

  • ZeLab, Ericsson Radio Systems AB, Box 12 48, S-581 12 Linköping, Sweden;Quality Technology and Management, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Linköping University, S-581 83 Linköping, Sweden;Focal Point AB, Teknikringen 1E, S-583 30 Linköping, Sweden;Department of Computer and Information Science, Linköping University, S-581 83 Linköping, Sweden;Department of Computer and Information Science, Linköping University, S-581 83 Linköping, Sweden;Department of Computer and Information Science, Linköping University, S-581 83 Linköping, Sweden

  • Venue:
  • Empirical Software Engineering
  • Year:
  • 1998

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Abstract

We haveperformed an extended replication of the Porter-Votta-Basiliexperiment comparing the Scenario method and the Checklist methodfor inspecting requirements specifications using identical instruments.The experiment has been conducted in our educational contextrepresented by a more general definition of a defect comparedto the original defect list. Our study involving 24 undergraduatestudents manipulated three independent variables: detection method,requirements specification, and the order of the inspections.The dependent variable measured is the defect detection rate.We found the requirements specification inspected and not thedetection method to be the most probable explanation for thevariance in defect detection rate. This suggests that it is importantto gather knowledge of how a requirements specification can conveyan understandable view of the product and to adapt inspectionmethods accordingly. Contrary to the original experiment, wecan not significantly support the superiority of the Scenariomethod. This is in accordance with a replication conducted byFusaro, Lanubile and Visaggio, and might be explained by thelack of individual defect detection skill of our less experiencedsubjects.