Domain Engineering: An Empirical Study

Harris, Charles and Frakes, William (2006) Domain Engineering: An Empirical Study. Technical Report TR-06-28, Computer Science, Virginia Tech.

Abstract

This paper presents a summary and analysis of data gathered from thirteen domain engineering projects, participant surveys, and demographic information. Taking a failure modes approach, project data is compared to an ideal model of the DARE methodology, revealing valuable insights into points of failure in the domain engineering process. This study suggests that success is a function of the domain analyst’s command of a specific set of domain engineering concepts and skills, the time invested in the process, and persistence in difficult areas. We conclude by presenting strategies to avoid points of failure in future domain engineering projects.