LoCo CoCo

Abstract

We aim to discuss our recent publication in the Information and Software Technology (IST), DOI: 10.1016/j.infsof.2017.08.002. Context: Communication and coordination are essential ingredients to successful requirements and software engineering. However, especially in large organisations, it is difficult to establish and maintain communication channels. Objective: In order to facilitate communication, we investigate automatic construction of social network models from existing requirements and systems engineering models. Method: We conducted a design science research study in three iterative cycles at a large automotive company, and evaluated the outcome based on 15 interviews with practitioners and a survey with 12 participants. Results: The resulting approach, denoted LoCo CoCo, automatically creates and visualises social networks based on selected systems engineering components of real-life, productive systems engineering models. Our results indicate that automatic construction and visualisation of social network models could be feasible and useful to overcome existing communication challenges. Conclusion: Despite a lack of quality in existing social data at the case company, practitioners found LoCo CoCo potentially helpful to overcome existing communication challenges. Additionally, the visualisation could trigger practitioners to keep their social data up to date.