A precise examination of the behaviour of process models

For large software developments, process modelling can be used to guide and monitor the use of development tools. This paper explores the addition of “behavioural properties” to process models as a means for reasoning about the status of a software development as it evolves under a given process model. In this way, the behaviour of the process model may be given as a static meaning of each status, rather than having to evaluate the dynamic execution of the whole process model. These ideas are illustrated on a small case study. The process model is translated into VDM and standard VDM verification techniques are applied to show, among other things, that the behavioural properties are maintained by the process and that tools are invoked from the process model only when their preconditions are satisfied