Identifying requirements for a software update for a laboratory instrument
Project duration: 8 months
Brief description
After being in the market for a few years, new requirements are elicited for a further software version of a laboratory instrument. The extension of the instrument software is necessary to remove known weaknesses and introduce new functionalities. Hardware modifications are not planned. Prior to development, feasibility studies are conducted in close cooperation between hardware and software developers to ensure technical feasibility of planned software modifications. The experience and knowledge gained from feasibility studies flow back into requirements elicitation. For the first time the project works together with a requirements engineer. Besides common requirements engineering tasks, the requirements engineer promotes the requirement process and serves as contact person in the project.
Supplement
Essential tasks: Creation of the requirement management plan; setup of the requirement structure in the requirements management tool; consolidation of existing requirements structures in the new structure; elicitation, negotiation and management of software requirements;elicitation, negotiation and management of requirements traceability. Techniques used: documentation of modified business concepts in BPMN business process diagrams; documentation of modified rules, data and constraints in business rules; documentation of relevant and useful expert information; review workshops for product and software requirements in close cooperation with representatives of the business area, product specialists, developers and testers.
Subject description
The customer’s instrument is used in medical and academic research facilities, within the industry for quality control, as well as in regulated and unregulated environments of diagnostic laboratories. The central functionality of the instrument is to purify specific components from samples. The fundamental technical concept is based on an automated high throughput system that enables automatic purification of samples. For proper automation, it is essential to use standardized materials and reagents when utilizing the instrument. End users can define own purification protocols to adapt the use of the instrument to their specific purification procedures. Moreover, the customer’s instrument can act as link between two sample processing steps in a workflow. This is being supported by exchanging data with downstream and upstream instruments, respectively.