Enhancing NL requirements formalisation using a quality checking model

Mohamed Osama; Aya Zaki-Ismail; Mohamed Abdelrazek; John Grundy; Amani Ibrahim

doi:10.1109/RE51729.2021.00064

Enhancing NL requirements formalisation using a quality checking model

Mohamed Osama, Aya Zaki-Ismail, Mohamed Abdelrazek, John Grundy, Amani Ibrahim

Department of Software Systems & Cybersecurity

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Other

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The formalisation of natural language (NL) requirements is a challenging problem because NL is inherently vague and imprecise. Existing formalisation approaches only support requirements adhering to specific boilerplates or templates, and are affected by the requirements quality issues. Several quality models are developed to assess the quality of NL requirements. However, they do not focus on the quality issues affecting the formalisability of requirements. Such issues can greatly compromise the operation of complex systems and even lead to catastrophic consequences or loss of life (in case of critical systems). In this paper, we propose a requirements quality checking approach utilising natural language processing (NLP) analysis. The approach assesses the quality of the requirements against a quality model that we developed to enhance the formalisability of NL requirements. We evaluate the effectiveness of our approach by comparing the formalisation efficiency of a recent automatic formalisation technique before and after utilising our approach. The results show an increase of approximately 15% in the F-measure (from 83.8% to 98%).

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings - 29th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference, RE 2021
Editors	Ana Moreira, Kurt Schneider, Michael Vierhauser, Jane Cleland-Huang
Place of Publication	Piscataway NJ USA
Publisher	IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Pages	448-449
Number of pages	2
ISBN (Electronic)	9781665428569
ISBN (Print)	9781665428576
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/RE51729.2021.00064
Publication status	Published - 2021
Event	IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference 2021 - Online, Notre Dame, United States of America Duration: 20 Sept 2021 → 24 Sept 2021 Conference number: 29th https://conf.researchr.org/home/RE-2021 (Website) https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/9604522/proceeding (Proceedings)

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering
Publisher	IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
ISSN (Print)	1090-705X
ISSN (Electronic)	2332-6441

Conference

Conference	IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference 2021
Abbreviated title	RE 2021
Country/Territory	United States of America
City	Notre Dame
Period	20/09/21 → 24/09/21
Internet address	https://conf.researchr.org/home/RE-2021 (Website) https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/9604522/proceeding (Proceedings)

Keywords

Quality analysis
Requirements analysis
Requirements specification

Access to Document

10.1109/RE51729.2021.00064

Cite this

Osama, M., Zaki-Ismail, A., Abdelrazek, M., Grundy, J., & Ibrahim, A. (2021). Enhancing NL requirements formalisation using a quality checking model. In A. Moreira, K. Schneider, M. Vierhauser, & J. Cleland-Huang (Eds.), Proceedings - 29th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference, RE 2021 (pp. 448-449). (Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering). IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1109/RE51729.2021.00064

Osama, Mohamed ; Zaki-Ismail, Aya ; Abdelrazek, Mohamed et al. / Enhancing NL requirements formalisation using a quality checking model. Proceedings - 29th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference, RE 2021. editor / Ana Moreira ; Kurt Schneider ; Michael Vierhauser ; Jane Cleland-Huang. Piscataway NJ USA : IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2021. pp. 448-449 (Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering).

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abstract = "The formalisation of natural language (NL) requirements is a challenging problem because NL is inherently vague and imprecise. Existing formalisation approaches only support requirements adhering to specific boilerplates or templates, and are affected by the requirements quality issues. Several quality models are developed to assess the quality of NL requirements. However, they do not focus on the quality issues affecting the formalisability of requirements. Such issues can greatly compromise the operation of complex systems and even lead to catastrophic consequences or loss of life (in case of critical systems). In this paper, we propose a requirements quality checking approach utilising natural language processing (NLP) analysis. The approach assesses the quality of the requirements against a quality model that we developed to enhance the formalisability of NL requirements. We evaluate the effectiveness of our approach by comparing the formalisation efficiency of a recent automatic formalisation technique before and after utilising our approach. The results show an increase of approximately 15% in the F-measure (from 83.8% to 98%). ",

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Osama, M, Zaki-Ismail, A, Abdelrazek, M, Grundy, J & Ibrahim, A 2021, Enhancing NL requirements formalisation using a quality checking model. in A Moreira, K Schneider, M Vierhauser & J Cleland-Huang (eds), Proceedings - 29th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference, RE 2021. Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering, IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway NJ USA, pp. 448-449, IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference 2021, Notre Dame, United States of America, 20/09/21. https://doi.org/10.1109/RE51729.2021.00064

Enhancing NL requirements formalisation using a quality checking model. / Osama, Mohamed; Zaki-Ismail, Aya; Abdelrazek, Mohamed et al.
Proceedings - 29th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference, RE 2021. ed. / Ana Moreira; Kurt Schneider; Michael Vierhauser; Jane Cleland-Huang. Piscataway NJ USA: IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2021. p. 448-449 (Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Other

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T1 - Enhancing NL requirements formalisation using a quality checking model

AU - Osama, Mohamed

AU - Zaki-Ismail, Aya

AU - Abdelrazek, Mohamed

AU - Grundy, John

AU - Ibrahim, Amani

N1 - Conference code: 29th

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The formalisation of natural language (NL) requirements is a challenging problem because NL is inherently vague and imprecise. Existing formalisation approaches only support requirements adhering to specific boilerplates or templates, and are affected by the requirements quality issues. Several quality models are developed to assess the quality of NL requirements. However, they do not focus on the quality issues affecting the formalisability of requirements. Such issues can greatly compromise the operation of complex systems and even lead to catastrophic consequences or loss of life (in case of critical systems). In this paper, we propose a requirements quality checking approach utilising natural language processing (NLP) analysis. The approach assesses the quality of the requirements against a quality model that we developed to enhance the formalisability of NL requirements. We evaluate the effectiveness of our approach by comparing the formalisation efficiency of a recent automatic formalisation technique before and after utilising our approach. The results show an increase of approximately 15% in the F-measure (from 83.8% to 98%).

AB - The formalisation of natural language (NL) requirements is a challenging problem because NL is inherently vague and imprecise. Existing formalisation approaches only support requirements adhering to specific boilerplates or templates, and are affected by the requirements quality issues. Several quality models are developed to assess the quality of NL requirements. However, they do not focus on the quality issues affecting the formalisability of requirements. Such issues can greatly compromise the operation of complex systems and even lead to catastrophic consequences or loss of life (in case of critical systems). In this paper, we propose a requirements quality checking approach utilising natural language processing (NLP) analysis. The approach assesses the quality of the requirements against a quality model that we developed to enhance the formalisability of NL requirements. We evaluate the effectiveness of our approach by comparing the formalisation efficiency of a recent automatic formalisation technique before and after utilising our approach. The results show an increase of approximately 15% in the F-measure (from 83.8% to 98%).

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KW - Requirements specification

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T3 - Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering

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A2 - Schneider, Kurt

A2 - Vierhauser, Michael

A2 - Cleland-Huang, Jane

PB - IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

CY - Piscataway NJ USA

T2 - IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference 2021

Y2 - 20 September 2021 through 24 September 2021

ER -

Osama M, Zaki-Ismail A, Abdelrazek M, Grundy J, Ibrahim A. Enhancing NL requirements formalisation using a quality checking model. In Moreira A, Schneider K, Vierhauser M, Cleland-Huang J, editors, Proceedings - 29th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference, RE 2021. Piscataway NJ USA: IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. 2021. p. 448-449. (Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering). doi: 10.1109/RE51729.2021.00064

Enhancing NL requirements formalisation using a quality checking model

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Keywords

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