Towards Specification Patterns for Global Software Development Projects - Experiences from the Industry

The quality of a software requirements specification (SRS) is critical to project success, especially in global software development (GSD). Devising a high quality SRS however is difficult. Moreover, companies have compiled their own specification method, and find it impossible to rewrite rolled-out methods so profoundly that they address GSD specific challenges. We describe how Capgemini sd&m addressed this problem by augmenting its specification method by a set of `specification patterns' for GSD projects. These patterns concisely describe practices that analysts have to keep in mind when writing a SRS for an offshore development team. The patterns are agnostic to concrete life cycle models, and can thus be employed in various GSD project settings. We explain how applying the patterns help to melt client, onshore and offshore developers into `one team'. A real world case study shows how the patterns have been applied in a GSD project at Capgemini sd&m.