Present: Barbara Farbey (BAF), Coordinator (chair), Anthony Finkelstein (ACWF), Director, Dan Berry (DB), Bashar Nuseibeh (BN), Roel Wieringa (RW), Jose Fiadeiro (JF), Michael Goedicke (MG), Wolfgang Emmerich (WE), Rapporteur

Apologies were received from: Philippe Lefebvre (PL), Barbara Pernici (BP), Janis Bubenko (JB), Kevin Ryan (KR)

The minutes of the meeting in Toulouse were accepted as a correct record of the meeting

None

The director noted that the network had progressed well during the last period. The network has continued to support a great deal of research activity, both proposed and executed. Sufficient progress has been made on the executive initiatives. The director noted that we have come to the end of the budget, for which the network is on target. The director noted that the network will have a very good story to tell, come the final review.

It was noted that several membership applications had been received since the last Board from both industry and academia. Following the policy decision agreed in the last board, they were informed that they have been placed on a waiting list for the renewal.

6.1. Current budget position

The coordinator explained the current budget position and noted that there is still some money left for a few activities in the last period of the network.

The director noted that there are about 25KEuro left for activities that are not already committed. This would include money for the final review.

6.2. Bids agreed by the Director

The board noted the bids agreed by the director and approved them.

6.3. Bids to be decided by the Board

The proposal by Roel Wieringa, Bashar Nuseibeh and Jose Fiadeiro, with Barbara Farbey, to hold an event on Requirements Engineering in Banking and Finance in Twente was agreed. The estimated cost of this event will be 3,000 Euro.

It was agreed that the group organising a second workshop on participative requirements engineering should be invited to make a detailed proposal, at which time the board would decide on a budget.

6.4. Budget policy to the end of the May, 2000

It was agreed that from this point onwards the network does not have money to fund activities, which have not yet been proposed.

7.1. Roadmap

The director noted that a requirements engineering FAQ has been established by Sofia Guerra. Steve Easterbrook and Bashar Nuseibeh have written an excellent requirements engineering roadmap, that will be published as part of the "Future of Software Engineering" papers. The

volume will be published by ACM press and will be sponsored by RENOIR.

The papers of this volume are available from

http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/a.finkelstein/fose/future.html

7.2. Roadshow

The director noted that substantial progress has been made on the road show. Olly Gotel has taken over responsibility. The Roadshow draws together RE expertise in goal-oriented requirements engineering, Michael Jackson's work and work done at UCL. Trials of the material have been done with the National Air Traffic Services. BN suggested delivering the road show as an event to the members of the Requirements Engineering Group of the BCS and this met the board's approval. DELTA (Denmark) may be interested too.

 7.3. Research Training

It was noted that the next research training workshop will be merged with the ICSE 2000 doctoral symposium and the Research Training chair will publicize the ICSE 2000 doctoral symposium to all participants of previous RE research training workshops.

7.4. Research Co-ordination

Deferred

7.5. Infrastructure and network communications

WE noted that we continue to publicize activities on our web pages and that the RENOIR web site receives about 100 hits per week.

7.6. Industrial liaison

BAF has set up a business net page on the RENOIR web site that supports people are who want to establish a requirements engineering practice.

BAF also noted that the major industrial partners now actively engage in discussion with RENOIR members for research.

8.1. Plans for continuation after May 2000

BN contacted Philippe Lefebvre and Philippe suggested that BN should write a three page summary of the aims and objectives, prior to a meeting to discuss a renewal of the network.

8.2 Final Report

BAF noted that a final report needs to be produced by 31 May.

9.1. Executive Board

It was noted that there is no immediate need for another Executive Board and that one could be convened if the need arises.

9.2. RENOIR sponsored events

ICSE Doctoral consortium, Limerick

Requirements Engineering and Architecture in Finance and Banking, Twente

9.3. Other events

ICRE, June, Chicago

The director noted the suggestion by Philippe Lefebvre to hold the final review on June 22nd in London. The board agreed that it was undesirable as it conflicts with the International Conference on Requirements Engineering, which will be held in that week in Chicago. Members of the board suggested holding the final review during ICRE in Chicago in conjunction with the event, given RENOIR policy of holding Board meetings alongside major international conferences. This both minimizes costs, since the majority of Board members will be there anyway, and serves to raise awareness of the network internationally.

BN suggested that Dave Bustard (University of Ulster), Michael Jackson and Suzanne Robertson would be good reviewers.