Understanding Undesirable Attributes of Requirements Engineers: Insights from Practitioners

Technical Summary: Understanding Undesirable Attributes of Requirements Engineers

Problem Statement
While the literature extensively investigates the characteristics of effective software professionals, there is a significant gap in understanding the undesirable attributes of Requirements Engineers (REs). Given that Requirements Engineering (RE) relies heavily on stakeholder interaction and collaboration, negative behaviors or attitudes can severely compromise team dynamics and project outcomes. Although previous work by the authors identified desirable attributes, the specific nature of detrimental traits that hinder RE effectiveness remains under-explored. This study seeks to address this gap by answering the research question: "What are the less desirable attributes of a requirements engineer?"

Methodology
The study employed a mixed-method approach involving a survey followed by semi-structured interviews, adopting a methodology similar to Kalliamvakou et al. [3] and Dias et al. [4].

• Participants: The study engaged 18 software practitioners from Brazilian industrial partners. Of these, 11 were available for in-depth interviews. The sample included ten software engineers and eight project managers, representing small, medium, and large organizations. Participants possessed between one and thirty years of experience (average 10 years) and had worked for an average of six companies.
• Data Collection:
  • Survey: Practitioners were asked to list up to five attributes they considered essential for RE and up to five they considered detrimental.
  • Interviews: Eleven surveyed practitioners were interviewed to clarify definitions, explain why specific attributes were viewed as positive or negative, and describe how these traits could be recognized or avoided. Interviews lasted approximately 30 minutes and were recorded with consent.
• Data Analysis: Two researchers independently analyzed the survey data to identify similarities, with a third researcher resolving divergences. Attributes were grouped into categories and reviewed. For the interview transcripts, researchers applied open coding to capture main ideas, individually coding half of the transcripts before cross-revising and resolving disagreements with a third researcher to produce a consolidated set of codes.

Key Contributions and Results
The study identified 17 distinct undesirable attributes, which were organized into four conceptual categories and visualized through conceptual maps (Figure 1).

1. Communication Issues: This category addresses how REs communicate. The most recurrent issues were "difficulty in relationships" (18% of mentions) and "lack of communication" (15%). These attributes encompass challenges in interacting with team members and stakeholders, leading to misunderstandings and inefficiencies.
2. Lack of Domain Knowledge: This category groups attributes related to insufficient understanding of the business context. "Lack of business knowledge" (8%) was a primary finding, indicating a failure to grasp the objectives and needs of the business for which the software is being developed.
3. Personality: This category includes attributes describing how REs think, feel, and behave during interactions (e.g., being "impressive" in a negative sense).
4. Lack of Technical Knowledge: This reveals deficiencies in technical skills specific to RE activities, such as a lack of knowledge regarding RE practices and artifacts.

Key Findings:

• Interconnectedness: The attributes are highly interrelated. For instance, poor communication often exacerbates relational challenges. The conceptual maps illustrate that "not knowing how to raise relevant questions" is a concept underlying both "difficulty in relationships" and "lack of communication."
• Nature of Undesirable Traits: The study found that undesirable attributes are not merely the direct negation of desirable ones. While some contrasts exist (e.g., communication skills vs. lack of communication), many undesirable traits involve restrictive behaviors (e.g., resistance to change, poor interpersonal relationships), whereas desirable traits are associated with proactive behaviors (e.g., initiative, negotiation).
• Business Knowledge: Contrary to suggestions that mixing team members with and without domain knowledge improves effectiveness, this study identifies "lack of business knowledge" as a specific undesirable attribute for the RE role itself.

Significance and Claims
The paper claims that its findings reinforce the critical importance of human factors in RE, specifically highlighting that interpersonal and organizational competencies are often more in demand than purely technical skills. The conceptual maps serve as a practical tool for requirements engineers to reflect on their professional practice by recognizing specific traits that may hinder collaboration and project success.

The authors acknowledge limitations regarding the sample's geographic and cultural context (Brazilian industry), which may introduce bias. However, they argue that the diversity in experience levels, company sizes, and career trajectories within the sample helps mitigate this threat. The study concludes that undesirable attributes represent different dimensions of professional behavior rather than simple opposites of desirable ones, suggesting that improving RE effectiveness requires addressing both technical deficiencies and systemic interpersonal challenges.