Requirements analysis for decision-support system design: evidence from the automotive industry

The purpose of this paper is to outline the requirements analysis that was carried out to support the development of a system that allows engineers to view real-time data integrated from multiple silos such as Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Warranty systems, in a single and visual environment. The outcome of this study provides a clear understanding of how engineers working in different phases of the product-lifecycle could utilise such information to improve the decision making process and as a result design better products. This study uses data collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews and workshops that includes people working in various roles within the automotive sector. In order to demonstrate the applicability this approach, SysML diagrams are also provided

A Framework for Evaluating Model-Driven Self-adaptive Software Systems

In the last few years, Model Driven Development (MDD), Component-based Software Development (CBSD), and context-oriented software have become interesting alternatives for the design and construction of self-adaptive software systems. In general, the ultimate goal of these technologies is to be able to reduce development costs and effort, while improving the modularity, flexibility, adaptability, and reliability of software systems. An analysis of these technologies shows them all to include the principle of the separation of concerns, and their further integration is a key factor to obtaining high-quality and self-adaptable software systems. Each technology identifies different concerns and deals with them separately in order to specify the design of the self-adaptive applications, and, at the same time, support software with adaptability and context-awareness. This research studies the development methodologies that employ the principles of model-driven development in building self-adaptive software systems. To this aim, this article proposes an evaluation framework for analysing and evaluating the features of model-driven approaches and their ability to support software with self-adaptability and dependability in highly dynamic contextual environment. Such evaluation framework can facilitate the software developers on selecting a development methodology that suits their software requirements and reduces the development effort of building self-adaptive software systems. This study highlights the major drawbacks of the propped model-driven approaches in the related works, and emphasise on considering the volatile aspects of self-adaptive software in the analysis, design and implementation phases of the development methodologies. In addition, we argue that the development methodologies should leave the selection of modelling languages and modelling tools to the software developers.Comment: model-driven architecture, COP, AOP, component composition, self-adaptive application, context oriented software developmen

An integrated aerospace requirement setting and risk analysis tool for life cycle cost reduction and system design improvement

In the early conceptual stage of the service orientated model, decisions regarding the design of a new technical product are largely influenced by Service Requirements. Those decisions, therefore, have to merge both technical and business aspects to obtain desired product reliability and reduced Whole Life Cost (WLC). It is, therefore, critical at that phase to define the risk of potential noncompliance of Service Requirements in order to ensure the right design choices; as these decisions have a large impact on the overall product and service development. This paper presents outcome of research project to investigate different approaches used by companies to analyse Service Requirements to achieve reduced Life Cycle Cost (LCC). Analysis using Weibull distribution and Monte Carlo principle have been proposed here; based on the conducted literature review these are considered as the most widely used techniques in product reliability studies. Based on those techniques, a methodology and its software tool for risk evaluation of failure to deliver a new product against Service Requirements are presented in this paper. This is part of the on-going research project which, apart from analysing the gap between the current Service Requirements achievements and the design targets for a new aircraft engine, it also facilitates an optimisation of those requirements at the minimum risk of nonconformity