28 research outputs found
An Institutional Framework for Heterogeneous Formal Development in UML
We present a framework for formal software development with UML. In contrast
to previous approaches that equip UML with a formal semantics, we follow an
institution based heterogeneous approach. This can express suitable formal
semantics of the different UML diagram types directly, without the need to map
everything to one specific formalism (let it be first-order logic or graph
grammars). We show how different aspects of the formal development process can
be coherently formalised, ranging from requirements over design and Hoare-style
conditions on code to the implementation itself. The framework can be used to
verify consistency of different UML diagrams both horizontally (e.g.,
consistency among various requirements) as well as vertically (e.g.,
correctness of design or implementation w.r.t. the requirements)
UML Interactions Meet State Machines - An Institutional Approach
UML allows the multi-viewpoint modelling of systems. One important question is whether an interaction as specified by a sequence diagram can be actually realised in the system. Here, the latter is specified as a combination of several state machines (one for each lifeline in the interaction) by a composite structure diagram. In order to tackle this question, we formalise the involved UML diagram types as institutions, and their relations as institution (co)morphisms
An Institution for Simple UML State Machines
We present an institution for UML state machines without hierarchical states.
The interaction with UML class diagrams is handled via institutions for guards
and actions, which provide dynamic components of states (such as valuations of
attributes) but abstract away from details of class diagrams. We also study a
notion of interleaving product, which captures the interaction of several state
machines. The interleaving product construction is the basis for a semantics of
composite structure diagrams, which can be used to specify the interaction of
state machines. This work is part of a larger effort to build a framework for
formal software development with UML, based on a heterogeneous approach using
institutions.Comment: 24 pages. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with
arXiv:1403.774
Semantic Model Alignment for Business Process Integration
Business process models describe an enterprise’s way of conducting business and in this form the basis for shaping the organization and engineering the appropriate supporting or even enabling IT. Thereby, a major task in working with models is their analysis and comparison for the purpose of aligning them. As models can differ semantically not only concerning the modeling languages used, but even more so in the way in which the natural language for labeling the model elements has been applied, the correct identification of the intended meaning of a legacy model is a non-trivial task that thus far has only been solved by humans. In particular at the time of reorganizations, the set-up of B2B-collaborations or mergers and acquisitions the semantic analysis of models of different origin that need to be consolidated is a manual effort that is not only tedious and error-prone but also time consuming and costly and often even repetitive. For facilitating automation of this task by means of IT, in this thesis the new method of Semantic Model Alignment is presented. Its application enables to extract and formalize the semantics of models for relating them based on the modeling language used and determining similarities based on the natural language used in model element labels. The resulting alignment supports model-based semantic business process integration. The research conducted is based on a design-science oriented approach and the method developed has been created together with all its enabling artifacts. These results have been published as the research progressed and are presented here in this thesis based on a selection of peer reviewed publications comprehensively describing the various aspects
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MC2: MPEG-7 content modelling communities
This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel UniversityThe use of multimedia content on the web has grown significantly in recent years. Websites such as Facebook, YouTube and Flickr cater for enormous amounts of multimedia content uploaded by users. This vast amount of multimedia content requires comprehensive content modelling otherwise
retrieving relevant content will be challenging. Modelling multimedia content can be an extremely time consuming task that may seem impossible particularly when undertaken by individual users. However, the advent of Web 2.0 and associated communities, such as YouTube and Flickr, has
shown that users appear to be more willing to collaborate in order to take on enormous tasks such as multimedia content modelling. Harnessing the power of communities to achieve comprehensive content modelling is the primary focus of this research.
The aim of this thesis is to explore collaborative multimedia content modelling and in particular the effectiveness of existing multimedia content modelling tools, taking into account the key development challenges of existing collaborative content modelling research and the associated
modelling tools. Four research objectives are pursued in order to achieve this; first, design a user experiment to study users’ tagging behaviour with existing multimedia tagging tools and identify any relationships between such user behaviour; second, design and develop a framework for MPEG-7 content modelling communities based on the results of the experiment; third, implement an online
service as a proof of concept of the framework; fourth, validate the framework through the online service during a repeat of the initial user experiment.
This research contributes first, a conceptual model of user behaviour visualised as a fuzzy cognitive
map and, second, an MPEG-7 framework for multimedia content modelling communities (MC2) and its proof of concept as an online service. The fuzzy cognitive model embodies relationships between user tagging behaviour and context and provides an understanding of user priorities in the description of content features and the relationships that exist between them. The MC2 framework,
developed based on the fuzzy cognitive model, is deep-rooted in user content modelling behaviour and content preferences. A proof of concept of the MC2 framework is implemented as an online service in which all metadata is modelled using MPEG-7. The online service is validated, first, empirically with the same group of users and through the same experiment that led to the development of the fuzzy cognitive model and, second, functionally against the folksonomy and MPEG-7 content modelling tools used in the initial experiment. The validation demonstrates that MC2 has the advantages without the shortcomings of existing multimedia tagging tools by harnessing the ease of use of folksonomy tools while producing comprehensive structured metadata.Supported by UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC
Diseño de organizaciones virtuales ubícuas utilizando desarrollo dirigido por modelos
Hoy en día los avances en la miniaturización de sistemas electrónicos han
impulsado el desarrollo de dispositivos o artefactos que incorporan capacidades
computacionales y de comunicación. Estos dispositivos pueden proveer de
una serie de servicios en diferentes entornos gracias a su tecnología empotrada,
como por ejemplo: reconocimiento de personas, localización de usuarios en un
entorno, ajuste automático de la temperatura e iluminación de un entorno, etc.
Este potencial de procesamiento y comunicación, está permitiendo crear nuevas
aplicaciones distribuidas, donde el rol principal no lo tiene el computador personal,
sino los diferentes dispositivos empotrados en el entorno: sensores, interfaces,
actuadores, teléfonos móviles, etc., Esto ha generado novedosas áreas de aplicación
como: Internet de Cosas (Internet of Things), Computación Móvil, Redes
de Sensores, Sistemas Ubícuos, Inteligencia Ambiental, etc.
Estos avances han conducido al desarrollo de un nuevo paradigma, computación
orientada a la interacción, es decir, la computación ocurre a través de los
actos de comunicación entre las entidades. Por lo tanto, es lógico pensar que este
paradigma requiere, desde un punto de vista de diseño, el desarrollo de aplicaciones
en diferentes plataformas de software y de hardware, debido a lo heterogeneo
de los sistemas de computación, lenguajes, sistemas operativos, y objetos (dispositivos
físicos: sensores, actuadores, interfaces, etc.) dispersos en el entorno.
Dicha heterogeneidad presente en los sistemas ubícuos, representa todo un reto
a la hora de diseñarlos.
La ingeniería de software basada en sistemas multi-agente, en particular, los
sistemas multi-agente abiertos (como las Organizaciones Virtuales), tiene la capacidad
de abordar los retos al diseñar sistemas ubícuos. A ello hay que unir, que
varias metodologías de desarrollo de software han adoptado el enfoque “dirigido
por modelos” (model-driven) para realizar el análisis y el diseño del software.
Dicho enfoque puede ser adoptado en los sistemas multi-agente, para mejorar el
proceso de desarrollo y la calidad del software basado en agentes. Así mismo, el
desarrollo dirigido por modelos proporciona un soporte apropiado para abordar
este tipo de sistemas, ya que nos permite el uso de modelos como principal elemento
abstracto para el diseño del sistema, por medio de la interconexión de un conjunto de componentes visuales.
En este trabajo proponemos el desarrollo de sistemas ubícuos utilizando una
organización virtual, creando una Organización Virtual Ubícua, la cual es diseñada
usando el enfoque de desarrollo dirigido por modelos. De forma más
detallada, este trabajo presenta tres propuestas. La primera, presenta un conjunto
de meta-modelos para diseñar una Organización Virtual Ubícua, llamado
πVOM, que utiliza conceptos generales que se abstraen de las metodologías y de
las plataformas de agentes, lo permite diseñar aplicaciones utilizando abstracciones
generales de alto nivel, evitando los detalles de implementación de bajo
nivel. Así mismo, se presentan dos modelos de transformaciones, que permiten
obtener el modelo de implantación de la organización (con los agentes, entidades
y dispositivos), por medio de transformaciones semi-automáticas dadas por la
metodología model-driven, reduciendo la brecha entre las fases de diseño y de
implementación para este tipo de sistema.
La segunda propuesta presenta una arquitectura de implantación que define
una estructura de capas funcionales basada en servicios, que soporta la interacción
de las entidades de la organización virtual. La arquitectura de implantación
permite la interoperabilidad de diferentes entidades, plataformas de software y
hardware, proporcionando a los miembros de la organización virtual la capacidad
de administrar y controlar los dispositivos del entorno (del sistema ubícuo).
La tercera propuesta presenta una plataforma de ejecución de agentes empotrados
llamada Andromeda, que permite ejecutar agentes empotrados sobre
sistema operativo Android que cumplen con el modelo de agente de πVOM. Los
agentes en Andromeda pueden acceder a los dispositivos del entorno, tal y
como sucede en los sistemas ubícuos.
Las propuestas presentadas fueron evaluadas empíricamente con dos ejemplos,
que permiten mostrar sus bondades.Aguero Medina, J. (2015). Diseño de organizaciones virtuales ubícuas utilizando desarrollo dirigido por modelos [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/52597TESI
Business strategy driven IT systems for engineer-to-order and make-to-order manufacturing enterprises
This thesis reports research into the specification and implementation of an Information
Technology (IT) Route Map. The purpose of the Route Map is to enable rapid design
and deployment of IT solutions capable of semi-automating business processes in a
manufacturing enterprise. The Map helps structure transition processes involved in
“identification of key business strategies and design of business processes” and “choice
of enterprise systems and supporting implementation techniques”. Common limitations
of current Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are observed and incorporated
as Route Map implications and constraints.
Scope of investigation is targeted at Small to Medium Sized Enterprises
(SMEs) that employ Engineer-To-Order (ETO) and Make-To-Order (MTO) business
processes. However, a feature of the Route Map is that it takes into account
contemporary business concerns related to “globalisation”, “mergers and acquisitions”
and “typical resource constraint problems of SMEs”.
In the course of the research a “Business Strategy Driven IT System Concept”
was conceived and examined. The main purpose of this concept is to promote the
development of agile and innovative business activity in SMEs. The Road Map
encourages strategy driven solutions to be (a) specified based on the use of emerging
enterprise engineering theories and (b) implemented and changed using componentbased
systems design and composition techniques.
Part-evaluation of the applicability and capabilities of the Road Map has been
carried out by conducting industrial survey and case study work. This assesses
requirements of real industrial problems and solutions. The evaluation work has also
been enabled by conducting a pilot implementation of the thesis concepts at the
premises of a partner SME
E-Governance: Strategy for Mitigating Non-Inclusion of Citizens in Policy Making in Nigeria
The Nigerian federation that currently has 36 states structure adopted the Weberian Public Administrative system
before now as an ideal way of running government, which was characterized with the traditional way of doing things without
recourse to the deployment of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Today e-governance is seen as a paradigm
shift from the previous way of governance. Research has shown that, the adoption and implementation of e-governance is
more likely to bring about effective service delivery, mitigate corruption and ultimately enhance citizens’ participation in
governmental affairs. However, it has been argued that infrastructure such as regular electricity power and access to the
Internet, in addition to a society with high rate of literacy level are required to effectively implement and realize the
potentials of e-governance for improved delivery of services. Due to the difficulties currently experienced, developing nations
need to adequately prepare for the implementation of e-governance on the platform of Information Communication
Technology (ICT). Hence, this study seeks to examine whether the adoption and implementation of e-governance in the
context of Nigeria would mitigate the hitherto non-inclusion of citizens in the formulation and implementation of
government policies aimed at enhanced development. To achieve the objective of the study, data were sourced and analyzed
majorly by examining government websites of 20 states in the Nigerian federation to ascertain if there are venues for citizens
to interact with government in the area of policy making and feedback on government actions, as a way of promoting
participatory governance. The study revealed that the adoption and implementation of e-governance in the country is yet to
fully take place. This is due to lack of infrastructure, low level of literacy rate and government inability to provide the
necessary infrastructure for e-governance to materialize. The paper therefore, recommends among others the need for the
Federal Government to involve a sound and clear policy on how to go about the adoption and implementation of egovernance
through deliberate effort at increasing budgetary allocation towards infrastructural development and mass
education of citizens