A Knowledge-Based Agent Modeling and Design Environment

Agent-oriented software systems are becoming large and complex. This paper presents a methodology for agent-oriented software development, grounded in software engineering principles. It also presents a knowledge-based agent modeling and design environment that supports different phases of the agent-software lifecycle

The Tropos Software Development Methodology: Processes, Models and Diagrams

Tropos is a novel agent-oriented software development methodology founded on two key features: (i) the notions of agent, goal, plan and various other knowledge level concepts are fundamental primitives used uniformly throughout the software development process; and (ii) a crucial role is assigned to requirements analysis and specification when the system-to-be is analyzed with respect to its intended environment. This paper provides a (first) detailed account of the Tropos methodology. In particular, we describe the basic concepts on which Tropos is founded and the types of models one builds out of them. We also specify the analysis process through which design flows from external to system actors through a goal analysis and delegation. In addition, we provide an abstract syntax for Tropos diagrams and other linguistic constructs

Designing community care systems with AUML

This paper describes an approach to developing an appropriate agent environment appropriate for use in community care applications. Key to its success is that software designers collaborate with environment builders to provide the levels of cooperation and support required within an integrated agent–oriented community system. Agent-oriented Unified Modeling Language (AUML) is a practical approach to the analysis, design, implementation and management of such an agent-based system, whilst providing the power and expressiveness necessary to support the specification, design and organization of a health care service. The background of an agent-based community care application to support the elderly is described. Our approach to building agent–oriented software development solutions emphasizes the importance of AUML as a fundamental initial step in producing more general agent–based architectures. This approach aims to present an effective methodology for an agent software development process using a service oriented approach, by addressing the agent decomposition, abstraction, and organization characteristics, whilst reducing its complexity by exploiting AUML’s productivity potential. </p

Implementing E-government Processes Distribution with Transparency using Multi-Agent Systems

E-government processes need transparency in order to allow citizens to understand and access valuable information in a democratic society. In this article, we present a multi-agent system (MAS) to process distribution that implements transparency characteristics. We demonstrate that the MAS paradigm stresses the organizational operating environment and the information systems alignment, being adequate to maintain process transparency. An agent-oriented software development methodology is used to define the soft goals of agents according to Tropos. The MAS architecture and the prototype were defined, implemented and illustrated with lawsuits distribution data from the Superior Labor Court of Brazil

Supporting Tropos concepts in Agent OPEN

The growth of interest in agent-orientation as a new paradigm has introduced the need for developing concepts, tools and techniques for modeling and engineering agent-based software systems. Object technology has been supporting the development of information systems for many years but is now slowly evolving to encompass more recent ideas relating to the concept of "agent". Integrating agent concepts into existing OO methodologies has resulted in several agent-oriented methodologies, one of which is Agent OPEN. In this paper, we evaluate the existing Agent OPEN description against ideas formulated within Tropos, an agent-oriented software development methodology. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2004

Using a situational method engineering approach to identify reusable method fragments from the secure TROPOS methodology

Situational method engineering (SME) has as a focus a repository of method fragments, gleaned from extant methodologies and best practice. Using one such example, the OPF (OPEN Process Framework) repository, we identify deficiencies in the current SME support for securityrelated issues in the context of agent-oriented software engineering. Specifically, theoretical proposals for the development of reusable security-related method fragments from the agent-oriented methodology Secure Tropos are discussed. Since the OPF repository has already been enhanced by fragments from Tropos and other non-security-focussed agent-oriented software development methodologies, the only method fragments from Secure Tropos not already contained in this repository are those that are specifically security-related. These are identified, clearly defined and recommended for inclusion in the current OPF repository of method fragments. ©JOT 2010

E-gov Transparency Implementation Using Multi-agent System: a Brazilian Study-Case in Lawsuit Distribution Process

Electronic government (e-gov) processes need transparency in order to allow citizens to access, understand and verify valuable information in a democratic society. As a crosscutting characteristic, transparency should be present in different e-gov perspectives, such as business processes, information, business rules and information systems. Thus, in this article, we present a multi-agent system (MAS) to implement transparent lawsuit distribution process. We demonstrate that the MAS paradigm emphasizes the organizational operating environment and the information systems alignment, being adequate to implement process transparency under a Brazilian study-case in lawsuit distribution that used real data from the Superior Labor Court of Brazil. The Tropos agent-oriented software development methodology is used to define the hard and soft goals of agents. The MAS architecture and the prototype were defined and implemented using JADE Framework

Multi-Agent Spiral Software Engineering: A Lakatosian Approach

This paper presents an epistemological approach for the development and validation of an original agent oriented software development methodology (see [Wautelet05a, Wautelet05b]). Agent orientation has been widely presented as a new modeling, design and programming paradigm that could be adopted to build systems mark to the determinant advantages it offers. This will be exposed and put into perspective in the paper through the Lakatosian approach. Spiral development (see [Boehm00a]) has become popular, especially through object-oriented software project development since it allows efficient software project management, continuous organizational modeling and requirements acquisition, early implementation, continuous testing and modularity, etc. The iterative nature of this requirements engineering process will be studied here through Herbert Simon's bounded rationality principle and Popper's knowledge growth principle but nuanced by Lakatos falsification principle criticism