A multimedia computer supported cooperative work environment for requirements engineering

The authors describe the architecture and the main features of a multimedia computer supported cooperative work environment (MCSCWE) and its application in requirements engineering. The MCSCWE has been utilized in several requirements engineering activities, and the use of the MCSCWE in a case study conducted for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) is presented. For the SACOG case study, 85 participants were convened by SACOG and divided into seven spatially distributed groups working on the same problem sets, i.e., the problem of coming up with a strategic plan to reduce congestion and meet clean air requirements as required by Federal law. The results of the case study demonstrate that the MCSCWE was effective and efficient in assisting this group to come to consensus on the issues and strategies necessary to achieve these goals