Multiparty specification

Abstract

“Specification-in-the-large”, that is the development of requirements specifications for systems of substantial complex@ and scale, mtrrors “progranrming -in-the-large” in raising a variety of dimculties that lie beyond the clerical problems of handling large amounts of information (Cunningham, Finkelstein et aI 1985. Finkelstein 8r Potts 1987). One such difficulty is that of specification from multiple viewpoints (Niskier 1987). Specification-in-thelarge is an activity in which there are many participants clients. systems analysts, engineers, domain experts and so on. Each has differing perspectives on, and knowledge about. the object system. as well as a variety of skills. roles and so on. In some cases the perspectivea may be based on underlying contradictions. To construct a specification the participants must cooperate: that is, contribute to the achievement of a joint understanding.