SAMEM: A Methodology for the Elicitation and Specification of Requirements for Agile Model-driven Engineering of Large Software Solutions

This thesis presents a pragmatic methodology, Software Agile Modeling And Engineering Methodology (SAMEM), for the development of large software-based solutions. The methodology is founded on the techniques of visual communication through models (Model-driven Development), a systematic guided progression of the project from beginning to end, an agile project management approach emphasizing an iterative and incremental style, and focusing on the requirements specification of the project.

The iterative & incremental approach is a risk mitigation technique to prevent the project from going off track via a short feedback loop. Projects have momentum that is a collection of the decisions and work accomplished. Small steps with verification that the work is correct and consistent with the project goals create a situation where potentially only a small investment is discarded. Small discards are easier to accept and can often be viewed as design explorations. The SAMEM applies the iterative & incremental approach at all levels across the complete project lifetime.

Modeling or graphical representations of the majority of project artifacts is risk mitigation against creating the incorrect solution and building the solution incorrectly. It is well known that visual expression can communicate information more accurately in many situations versus text. The mitigation effects against creating the incorrect solution, at least from the perspective of the stakeholders, is through the improved and more effective communication provided by models or graphical representations. One contribution for graphical representation or modeling is the idea of a Solution Overview Drawing (SOD) that provides a single-page summary by integrating multiple model views of requirements or design