Improving Traceability Link Recovery Using Fine-grained Requirements-to-Code Relations

Traceability information is a fundamental prerequisite for many essential software maintenance and evolution tasks, such as change impact and software reusability analyses. However, manually generating traceability information is costly and error-prone. Therefore, researchers have developed automated approaches that utilize textual similarities between artifacts to establish trace links. These approaches tend to achieve low precision at reasonable recall levels, as they are not able to bridge the semantic gap between high-level natural language requirements and code. We propose to overcome this limitation by leveraging fine-grained, method and sentence level, similarities between the artifacts for traceability link recovery. Our approach uses word embeddings and a Word Mover\u27s Distance-based similarity to bridge the semantic gap. The fine-grained similarities are aggregated according to the artifacts structure and participate in a majority vote to retrieve coarse-grained, requirement-to-class, trace links. In a comprehensive empirical evaluation, we show that our approach is able to outperform state-of-the-art unsupervised traceability link recovery approaches. Additionally, we illustrate the benefits of fine-grained structural analyses to word embedding-based trace link generation

A Model-Driven approach for functional test case generation

Test phase is one of the most critical phases in software engineering life cycle to assure the final system quality. In this context, functional system test cases verify that the system under test fulfills its functional specification. Thus, these test cases are frequently designed from the different scenarios and alternatives depicted in functional requirements. The objective of this paper is to introduce a systematic process based on the Model-Driven paradigm to automate the generation of functional test cases from functional requirements. For this aim, a set of metamodels and transformations and also a specific language domain to use them is presented. The paper finishes stating learned lessons from the trenches as well as relevant future work and conclusions that draw new research lines in the test cases generation context.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2013-46928-C3-3-

Early aspects: aspect-oriented requirements engineering and architecture design

This paper reports on the third Early Aspects: Aspect-Oriented Requirements Engineering and Architecture Design Workshop, which has been held in Lancaster, UK, on March 21, 2004. The workshop included a presentation session and working sessions in which the particular topics on early aspects were discussed. The primary goal of the workshop was to focus on challenges to defining methodical software development processes for aspects from early on in the software life cycle and explore the potential of proposed methods and techniques to scale up to industrial applications

MQTT Based Calibration Service

This report describes the study and the implementation of a prototype of a modular, distributed flexible software for Calibration Laboratories. The aim of the software is the separation of the tasks involved in laboratory activities, i.e. measurement, data management, certification, ISO17025 compliance, etc. The modular architecture of the software and the use of the MQTT protocol for process communication are suitable for the geographical distribution of the tasks over many laboratories, possibly in different locations

Safety and quality based traceability system for food supply chains

The onset of new technologies and new procedures for food production has reduced the familiarity and capability of consumers to discern the quality of products bought, as well as being unable to verify if all health and safety regulations were complied with. Traceability can be a tool for safety and quality assurance for perishable food as well as for process optimization and economic gain. However, it is often considered mere bureaucracy and an economic burden. Such is prevalent in micro and small-sized (MSE) enterprises. As they constitute most of food sector, the adoption of traceability systems is quite slow and mostly to satisfy legal requirements. In order to determine the main advantages and disadvantages of traceability models, implementation and technologies, a literature review and MSE focused analysis was performed. Economic gains, more quality and safety, better efficiency and a more direct contact with consumers are some of the main advantages. High implementation costs, poorly defined benefits, lack of compatibility, consumer focused perspective and exposure of sensitive information are some of the main issues. With the result of that analysis, a an open-source traceability framework was developed. The framework includes an external communication model and is accompanied by software capable of fulfilling all tasks required for quality assurance both internally and externally. It encompasses whole food supply chains and maintains records of quality and safety while not necessitating mature IT capabilities, uncommon characteristic of MSE’s. It is imperative for traceability systems to have a common structure for information exchange. Without it, these systems lose much of their utility as they will only be usable internally and will have reduced capacity to add value to products and manage recalls. It is also imperative to develop this type of framework by focusing it on existing resources such as HACCP flowcharts to define gateways for quality evaluation. With that in mind, the volume of information is divided between all stakeholders according to their necessities and funding capacities. Most of the information is stored by regulators as they have access to more funding. This improves the ease and flexibility of implementation of traceability systems by the companies. Using all developed tools an hypothetical food supply chain was simulated. The objective of this simulation was to observe all quality variations and capacity to transmit information. It was verified that the developed system was able to evaluate quality throughout an entire chain and to effectively communicate all necessary information.O surgimento de novas tecnologias e novos processos tem reduzido a familiaridade e capacidade dos consumidores em discernir a qualidade dos produtos adquiridos bem como a capacidade de verificar se todas as regras de higiene e segurança foram cumpridas. A rastreabilidade pode ser uma ferramenta capaz de assegurar a segurança e a qualidade de alimentos perecíveis bem como otimização de processos e ganho económico. Ainda assim, é regularmente considerada uma mera burocracia e um fardo económico, princiapalmente pelas micro, pequenas e médias empresas (PME). No entanto, estas constituem a maior parte do sector alimentar e uma vez que a rastreabilidade não é desejada para além do cumprimento de requisitos legais, a adopção de sistemas de rastreabilidade tem sido bastante lenta. De modo a determinar as maiores vantagens e desvantagens dos modelos de rastreabilidade, implementação e tecnologia, foi efectuada uma revisão de literature com crítica focada nas PME. Ganho económico, mais qualidade e segurança, maior eficiência e um contacto mais próximo com os consumidores são algumas das principais vantagens. Elevados custos de implementação, vantagens nem sempre tangíveis e fracamente definidas, falta de compatibilidade, perspectiva focada no consumidor e exposição de informação sensível são algumas das principais desvantagens. Com o resultado desta análise, foi desenvolvida uma estrutra open-source para sistemas de rastreabilidade. Esta estrutura inclui um modelo de comunicação externa e é acompanhada de software capaz de cumprir todas as tarefas requiridas para a garantia de qualidade tanto interna como externamente. Abrange cadeias de abastecimento alimentar inteiras e mantém registos de qualidade e segurança sem necessidade de elevada capacidade em tecnologias de informação, característica incomum das PME. É imperativo que os sistemas de rastreabilidade tenham uma estrutura de troca de informação comum. Sem a mesma, estes sistems perdem muita da sua utilidade pois apenas seriam usados para propósitos internos e isso significa que teriam uma maior dificuldade em auxiliar recolhas de produto impróprio e em adicionar valor aos produtos. É também imperativo que este tipo de estrutura seja desenvolvida com foco em recursos existentes tais como os fluxogramas do sistema HACCP como meio de segmentação de processos e avaliação de qualidade. Com isso em mente, o volume de informação é divido por todas partes de acordo com as suas necessidades e capacidades de financiamento. A maior parte da informação é mantida pelos reguladores devido à sua maior facilidade de acesso a fundos. Isto aumenta a facilidade e flexibilidade de implementação de sistemas de rastreabilidade por parte das empresas. Utilizando todas as ferramentas desenvolvidas foi efectuada uma simulação duma cadeia alimentar hipotética com objetivo de observar todas as variações de qualidade e a capacidade de transmissão de informação. Verfificou-se que o sistema é capaz de avaliar a qualiade e trasnmitir eficazmente toda a informação necessária

Natural Language Requirements Processing: A 4D Vision

The future evolution of the application of natural language processing technologies in requirements engineering can be viewed from four dimensions: discipline, dynamism, domain knowledge, and datasets

Plataforma de serviços para monitorização da cadeia de valor do pescado

Traceability in the food value chain is a topic of interest due to the advantages it brings to both the consumers, producers and regulatory authorities. This thesis describes my contributions during the design and implementation of a microservice based middleware for the Portuguese fish value chain considering current practices in the industry and the requirements of the stakeholders involved in the project, with the goal of integrating all the traceability information available from each operator to provide customers with the full story of the products they purchase. During this project I assumed many roles such as development, operations and even some security allowing me to improve my skills in all these fields and experimenting with the latest cloud native technologies such as containers and with DevOps practices.A rastreabilidade na cadeia de valor alimentar é um tema de interesse pelas vantagens que traz aos consumidores, produtores e autoridades reguladoras. Esta dissertação descreve as minhas contribuições durante a conceção e implementação de um middleware baseado em micro-serviços para a cadeia de valor do pescado portuguesa considerando as práticas atuais da indústria e os requisitos das partes interessadas envolvidas no projeto, com o objetivo de integrar toda a informação de rastreabilidade disponível de cada um dos operadores para fornecer aos clientes a história completa dos produtos que adquirem. Durante este projeto, assumi muitas funções, como desenvolvimento, operações e até mesmo alguma segurança, o que me permitiu melhorar as minhas capacidades em todos essas disciplinas e experimentar as mais recentes tecnologias nativas da nuvem, como contentores e práticas de DevOps.Mestrado em Engenharia Informátic

Brownboard - A tool to facilitate improved supply chain traceability

This paper aims to describe the brownboard tool and to elaborate on its characteristics. Brownboard can be seen as a tool within process mapping and it is focused on supply chain traceability. The process map is created in a dynamical group process where supply chain actors with different competence level meet and interact. The brownboard tool is used in a case study based on a Swedish supply chain for frozen food; ice cream. The data collection includes on-site interviews, observations, and review of internal documents. Empirical results from the case are used to exemplify the use of the tool. This study indicates that the brownboard tool enables identification of potential traceability related improvements by its visualization of the flow throughout the supply chain and through highlighting potential risks connected to traceability for the supply chain actors.The evidence has so far been collected through a single case study, and is thereby limited. Although there are limitations in how far one can generalize, the evidence should be regarded as a first step toward future research on this tool in a wider supply chain context. The Swedish food industry has worked intensively with internal traceability, while supply chain traceability is identified as important but not yet fully implemented. In addition, due to increased consumer awareness about food safety, new regulations, and standards, traceability has become a focus area for the food industry in Sweden. Brownboard is one possible tool that can be used in order to facilitate the process towards fully implemented supply chain traceability. This paper describes and illustrates the use of a novel tool within process mapping for gaining improved supply chain traceability

Grand Challenges of Traceability: The Next Ten Years

In 2007, the software and systems traceability community met at the first Natural Bridge symposium on the Grand Challenges of Traceability to establish and address research goals for achieving effective, trustworthy, and ubiquitous traceability. Ten years later, in 2017, the community came together to evaluate a decade of progress towards achieving these goals. These proceedings document some of that progress. They include a series of short position papers, representing current work in the community organized across four process axes of traceability practice. The sessions covered topics from Trace Strategizing, Trace Link Creation and Evolution, Trace Link Usage, real-world applications of Traceability, and Traceability Datasets and benchmarks. Two breakout groups focused on the importance of creating and sharing traceability datasets within the research community, and discussed challenges related to the adoption of tracing techniques in industrial practice. Members of the research community are engaged in many active, ongoing, and impactful research projects. Our hope is that ten years from now we will be able to look back at a productive decade of research and claim that we have achieved the overarching Grand Challenge of Traceability, which seeks for traceability to be always present, built into the engineering process, and for it to have "effectively disappeared without a trace". We hope that others will see the potential that traceability has for empowering software and systems engineers to develop higher-quality products at increasing levels of complexity and scale, and that they will join the active community of Software and Systems traceability researchers as we move forward into the next decade of research