Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
requirements elicitation
software engineering education
authentic learning
undergraduate curriculum
client interaction
Dead Code Doesn't Talk: Authentic Requirements Elicitation in Introductory Software Engineering
🤖 AI Summary
This study addresses the common shortcomings in undergraduate software engineering education—namely, insufficient training in requirements elicitation and limited interaction with real clients. To bridge this gap, the authors propose an innovative pedagogical approach that leverages students’ previously developed Java 2D games as anchor projects. Authentic client engagement is facilitated by involving doctoral researchers and postdoctoral fellows from within the university as real stakeholders. A structured four-phase process—encompassing requirements gathering, Software Requirements Specification (SRS) development, iterative prototyping, and reflective evaluation—is employed to guide student teams. This method effectively reduces cognitive load while enhancing instructional authenticity and scalability. Empirical results show that 203 requirements were collected, SRS documents achieved an average quality score of 6.79/10, prototype demonstrations scored 7.21/10, and students demonstrated significant improvement across eight soft skills, including empathy and negotiation.
📝 Abstract
Requirements elicitation is among the most communication-intensive activities in software engineering, yet it receives limited explicit treatment in undergraduate curricula. This paper presents a case study of an Introduction to Software Engineering course in which 20 student teams applied requirements elicitation practices to a Java-based 2D game they had built in a prior programming course, engaging 18 campus doctoral and postdoctoral researchers as authentic clients. Structured across four phases--preparation, client meeting, requirements elaboration, and a prototype sprint--the activity produced 203 elicited requirements, SRS documents with a mean quality score of $6.79 \pm 1.08$ out of 10, and prototype demonstrations scoring $7.21 \pm 1.15$. A pre/post self-assessment survey revealed statistically significant improvements across all eight measured soft-skill dimensions, with the largest gains in Stakeholder Empathy ($Δ= +1.33$) and Negotiation ($Δ= +1.13$). Thematic analysis of reflective reports identified four dominant learning themes, with the tension between client wishes and technical feasibility cited as the most professionally relevant experience. Our findings suggest that anchoring elicitation practice to a student-authored artifact lowers cognitive barriers while increasing authenticity, and that campus researchers serve as an accessible and effective proxy client for programs without established industry partnerships.
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
requirements elicitation
authentic client
software engineering education
student-authored artifact
soft skills development
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