What is Rationale and Why Does It Matter?

As the term is used here, rationale is the reasoning underlying the creation and use of artifacts. Software engineering research on rationale aims to devise methods and systems for managing rationale throughout the software engineering process. Managing rationale includes eliciting it, recording it, indexing it for retrieval, editing it, and retrieving it for those who need it. Recorded rationale can play a valuable role in every stage of the software lifecycle and for every participant in that lifecycle. It can help developers to create better software by enabling them to learn from the successes and failures of the past. It can facilitate coordination and collaboration within development teams, aid in identification and analysis of requirements, as well as design, testing and maintenance. It can even help users to understand the systems they use.