REQUIREMENTS ACQUISITION

An overview of knowledge engineering research, practice, theories, met hodologies, and tools is presented, and parallels are drawn with analo gous phenomena and activities in requirements engineering. Knowledge b ased systems are distinguished from other advanced information systems by their reflective emphasis on meta-information processing about the basis of system operation. In terms of requirements elicitation, this corresponds to an emphasis on maintaining an audit trail from require ments through design, implementation, use and maintenance that support s continuing user involvement in system specification, design and evol ution. Examples of knowledge elicitation methodologies and tools are p rovided, and it is suggested that they all have some applicability in requirements elicitation for advanced information system development. It is concluded that closer collaboration between the knowledge engine ering and requirements engineering communities will be mutually benefi cial.