SnapMind: A framework to support consistency and validation of model-based requirements in agile development

Two fundamental principles and values of agile methods are customer satisfaction by rapid delivery of useful software and the improvement of the communication process by continuous stakeholders´ involvement. But, how to deal with customers´ satisfaction and find a better visualization model at the requirements level (which stakeholders can understand and be involved) in an agile development context? Also, how this visualization model enhancement can guarantee consistency between agile requirements artefacts (e.g., user stories and domain models)? Thus, to answer these questions, this paper presents the SnapMind framework. This framework aims to make the requirements modelling process more user-centered, through the definition of a visual requirements language, based on mind maps, model-driven and domain specific language techniques. Moreover, through these techniques, the SnapMind framework focuses on support for consistency between user stories and the domain models using a model animation technique called snapshots. The framework was applied to an industrial case study to investigate its feasibility.