A problem-oriented theory of pattern-oriented analysis and design

The overall goal of this work is to provide problem-oriented support for Pattern-Oriented Analysis and Design (POAD) so that (i) we may construct a better understanding of the relationship of POAD to other software development approaches and (ii) we can extend the reach of problem-orientation to design patterns. This paper extends our previous contributions to show how both high-level and detailed design phases can be given a problem-oriented encoding

A Health-care Application of Goal-driven Software Design

In this paper we focus on goal engineering by addressing issues such as goal elicitation, specification, structuring and operationalisation. Specification of business goals is regarded as a means to raise the level of abstraction (and automation) at which business logic is incorporated in model driven software design in the context of service oriented architectures. More specifically, the proposed goal modelling approach consists of an abstract syntax (metamodel) and a concrete syntax (graphical notation) for the specification of business goals. We also proposed a framework for the goal-driven design of service-oriented software applications. In particular, we illustrate our approach by means of a case study carried out in the healthcare sector and we explain the role business goals (operationalised in the form of business rules) can play in software design. This research also outlines a number of areas that have significant research potential

Discovery Learning Experiments in a New Machine Design Laboratory

A new Machine Design Laboratory at Marquette University has been created to foster student exploration with hardware and real-world systems. The Laboratory incorporates areas for teaching and training, and has been designed to promote “hands-on” and “minds-on” learning. It reflects the spirit of transformational learning that is a theme in the College of Engineering. The goal was to create discovery learning oriented experiments for a required junior-level “Design of Machine Elements” course in mechanical engineering that would give students practical experiences and expose them to physical hardware, actual tools, and real-world design challenges. In the experiments students face a range of real-world tasks: identify and select components, measure parameters (dimensions, speed, force), distinguish between normal and used (worn) components and between proper and abnormal behavior, reverse engineer systems, and justify design choices. The experiments serve to motivate the theory and spark interest in the subject of machine design. This paper presents details of the experiments and summarizes student reactions and our experiences in the Machine Design Laboratory. In addition, the paper provides some insights for others who may wish to develop similar types of experiments

Is it sustainable? A conceptual exposition of sustainability in technical artefacts

Design is increasingly viewed as a key driver of global sustainability improvement. Accordingly, a range of sustainability-oriented design approaches have emerged over the past decades, all sharing the same high-level goal: the delivery of sustainable artefacts. Developing a shared vision of sustainability is positioned as a crucial first step in sustainability-oriented design processes; however, there is a lack of clarity regarding what the terms sustainable and sustainability fundamentally mean when applied to technical artefacts. To address these issues, we present a conceptual exposition of sustainability, beginning with three fundamental theoretical viewpoints on the concept and translating these to engineering design. Using the first generic model of systems sustainability (the S-Cycle) and an industrial case study, we then explain the basic constitution of sustainability of technical artefacts and discuss goals and metrics for sustainability-oriented engineering design. Some implications of the work for future research are briefly discussed, highlighting that sustainable design is not inherently ‘good’ and should therefore be conducted with caution and responsibility

The role of goals in design reasoning

Designers reason from real or imagined stakeholder goals about a problem context, to desired properties of artifacts that should contribute to these goals in this context. The general pattern of reasoning is the same in software engineering, information systems and industrial product design: Given stakeholder goals G and assumptions about a context C, find artifact requirements R such that C × R ⇒ G. Design reasoning is creative, as goals are usually not given ready-made to designers, the problem context is often partly unknown, assumptions about it are usually incomplete, and the artifact does not exist yet. Increased understanding of one of the three components (goals, context, artifact) changes the designer’s understanding of the other two. This is not a stepwise refinement process but a non-monotonic process in which earlier beliefs may have to be retracted. The result, the contribution argument C × R ⇒ G, is defeasible (it may turn out to be wrong).\ud After an analysis of design reasoning, I will zoom in on the role of goals in this kind of reasoning. I will define goals as stakeholder desires for which the stakeholder has committed resources (time and money) to achieve them. Stakeholders have different levels of goal awareness, ranging from unaware to actively pursuing the goal. Goals change, and in particular they can change by introduction of an artifact. Pursuing a goal entails having a problem theory that provides explanations, right or wrong, of the current state of the world, and predictions, right or wrong, about the future evolution of the world, and about the impact of different possible events on goal achievement.\ud I will end the talk by discussing implications for goal-oriented requirements specification languages such as i* at two levels. At one level, my analysis has implication about what aspects of goal-oriented design reasoning can be repre- sented in a goal-oriented language. At another level, my analysis can be used to assess the role of i* as artifact used in a requirements context to contribute to goals of requirements engineers

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

Threats Management Throughout the Software Service Life-Cycle

Software services are inevitably exposed to a fluctuating threat picture. Unfortunately, not all threats can be handled only with preventive measures during design and development, but also require adaptive mitigations at runtime. In this paper we describe an approach where we model composite services and threats together, which allows us to create preventive measures at design-time. At runtime, our specification also allows the service runtime environment (SRE) to receive alerts about active threats that we have not handled, and react to these automatically through adaptation of the composite service. A goal-oriented security requirements modelling tool is used to model business-level threats and analyse how they may impact goals. A process flow modelling tool, utilising Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) and standard error boundary events, allows us to define how threats should be responded to during service execution on a technical level. Throughout the software life-cycle, we maintain threats in a centralised threat repository. Re-use of these threats extends further into monitoring alerts being distributed through a cloud-based messaging service. To demonstrate our approach in practice, we have developed a proof-of-concept service for the Air Traffic Management (ATM) domain. In addition to the design-time activities, we show how this composite service duly adapts itself when a service component is exposed to a threat at runtime.Comment: In Proceedings GraMSec 2014, arXiv:1404.163

The mediating roles of pre-competitive coping and affective states in the relationships between coach-athlete relationship, satisfaction and attainment of achievement goals

The study is aimed to explore the relationship between coach-athlete relationship, precompetitive coping and affective states, satisfaction and attainment of achievement goals. A sample of 567 French athletes (Mage = 22.10; SD = 5.66; 377 men and 190 women) involved in 75 training groups participated in the study and completed a series of self-report measures in a temporal design with three measure points. Results of multilevel analyses revealed that the coach-athlete dyad (level 2; between-person level of analysis or training groups) and task-oriented coping (level 1; within person level of analysis or individuals) significantly predicted goal attainment (level 1). Moreover, the results of the Sobel test revealed that task-oriented coping (level 1) marginally mediated the relationship between coach-athlete dyad (level 2) and sport satisfaction (level 1). Besides, the coach-athlete dyad (level 1) and Intensity of positive affect (PA) mediated the relationship between coach-athlete dyad and goal attainment. Finally, the coach-athlete dyad (level 1) and Intensity of PA mediated the relationship between coach-athlete dyad and satisfaction (level 1). In conclusion, the display of Coach-Athlete relationship strategies may enhance higher levels of precompetitive task-oriented coping, intensity of PA, goal attainment and satisfaction. Subsequently, coaches and practitioners should focus their training on enhancing coach-athlete relationship as a crucial part of training in order to perform in competitions