Computer-Assisted Discrepancy Management - A Case Study in Research Transfer to Industry.

This paper reports on the “repackaging” and transfer to industry of research results in ViewpointBased Requirements Engineering (VBRE). Our experience, as indicated here, is a particular case of the problems and solutions that small research groups can find in their transfer from theoretical work to practical application. In particular, starting with a formal approach for discrepancy management, we first developed a “light-weight version” of VBRE and empirically validated their most important claims. Then we developed a software tool (discRman) that encapsulates the main points of the approach and, finally, partner organizations used it in small projects. We think that this “theoretical-empirical-light-weight-tool” sequence can be applied in similar situations, especially by small research groups seeking for transfer of their results to industry. ACM Classification: D.2.1 (Software Engineering – Requirements/Specifications – Methodologies, Tools), D.2.8 (Software Engineering – Metrics – Performance measures), D.2.9 (Software Engineering – Management – Productivity)