Cultural Influences on the Requirements Engineering Process: Lessons Learned from Practice

The Requirements Engineering (RE) process is crucial for identifying users' requirements and the success of the software development process. As RE is a socio-technical activity in nature, an individuals' culture might influence its activities deeply. The aim of this study is to observe and evaluate the influence of culture on the RE process. In total, we conducted 16 interviews with requirements engineer practitioners in Saudi Arabia and Australia. We found that both cultures have an impact on the RE process. This paper describes the lessons learned from practice on how to improve RE practices, taking into account cultural aspects.