Challenges in an Exchange Process

An Exchange Process will always start with the customer who will export the initial draft specifications as the first ReqIF archive. It is essential that in this archive, all Customer Status attributes have been set for all Exchange Process Requirements to valid initial states as defined for the process.

This initial Customer ReqIF is sent to the supplier. This activity is often termed 'ping'. The supplier will import the specification contained in the ReqIF into his/her requirements management tool.

 

Ideal Scenario

The 'ideal scenario' which is the one easiest to visualize is as follows:

The supplier will

• For each Exchange Process Requirement, evaluate the Customer Status and respond appropriately with modified Supplier Status and optionally Supplier Comment.
• Export the specification to ReqIF
• Send the ReqIF back to the customer. This activity is often termed 'pong'.

During this time, the customer does not make any changes to the specification.

Having received the Supplier ReqIF, the customer will

• Import the ReqIF into his/her requirements management tool
• For each Exchange Process Requirement, evaluate the Supplier Status and respond appropriately with Customer Status and possibly with further modifications to the Requirement Text and Customer Comment.
• Export the specification to ReqIF
• Send the ReqIF back to the supplier (ping2)

 

This cycle can repeat until all Exchange Process Requirements Customer Status and Supplier Status attribute values have reached their terminal values at which point the Exchange Process is complete.

 

Actual Scenario

In real life there are many deviations from the ideal scenario. Where there is deviation, there is the possibility for corruption of the Exchange Process if the deviation is not detected before a ReqIF is imported.

Delayed Response

When sending a ReqIF to a customer, a supplier may choose not to provide a response to one or more Exchange Process Requirements. Similarly, when sending a ReqIF to a supplier, a customer may also not provide responses to one or more Exchange Process Requirements.

Parallel Changes

While a supplier is evaluating a requirement in an imported ReqIF from the customer and responding with an updated Supplier Status, the customer can simultaneously change the same requirement leading to a possible conflict.

Sequencing

Sequencing is the scenario where a customer might decide to send another ReqIF to the supplier before receiving a response. Depending on the changes made to the specifications, this can impact the evaluations already performed by the supplier. Similarly, a supplier can send a response to the customer before receiving the next customer ReqIF. This can also impact the evaluations being performed by the customer.