An exploratory study into communications between IS staff and users during requirement specification

Abstract

Communication between IS staff and users during requirement specification is unavoidable. However, little research has been conducted to explore the relationship between effective group communication and the quality of the requirement specification. This empirical research was based on group communication theory by Johnson and Johnson and requirement specification theory by Wetherbe and Awad. This study confirms that effective group communication is positively associated with the quality of the requirement specification. Furthermore, it highlights the three attributes of group communication which are most positively associated with the quality of the requirement specification. These are: problem solving ability, group cohesion and decision making ability. The three attributes of group communication, which are least associated with the quality of the requirement specification, are: interpersonal communication, participation and leadership, and power and influence.