E/VPL a system for modelling and enacting software processes

This research addresses the technical issues involved in specifying and mechanically supporting software development processes and is related to the view of processes as “software”, i.e. as a specifiable and executable entity. Software processes can be described using textual and graphical techniques. This allows interested parties to agree that it reflects the true process, to reason about the process and to identify potential improvements. In designing new or improved processes, an ability to simulate these processes is invaluable. Such simulations, based on the process descriptions, allow one to step through the process tasks in an interactive manner. Thus one can evaluate the effectiveness of processes, assess their behaviour and ask “what-if ’ questions based upon proposed modifications. Simulations with the help of quantitative data, can be run for statistical purposes, where parameters can be varied. Process descriptions can be used as a basis for process automation, as they contain much of the information needed to build a process-centred environment However, many currently available tools, whose origins lie in process definition, allow simulation, but do not generally support real-time execution of process descriptions. This thesis reviews the current state-of-the-art in automated systems that enact software development processes and proposes a system called Enhanced Visual Process Language (E/VPL), which is a graphically-oriented process modelling system. A prototype system has been constructed to implement E/VPL and is evaluated to assess its potential as a process modelling system

On the engineering of crucial software

The various aspects of the conventional software development cycle are examined. This cycle was the basis of the augmented approach contained in the original grant proposal. This cycle was found inadequate for crucial software development, and the justification for this opinion is presented. Several possible enhancements to the conventional software cycle are discussed. Software fault tolerance, a possible enhancement of major importance, is discussed separately. Formal verification using mathematical proof is considered. Automatic programming is a radical alternative to the conventional cycle and is discussed. Recommendations for a comprehensive approach are presented, and various experiments which could be conducted in AIRLAB are described

"A model-driven approach for designing multi-platform user interface dialogues": dialogues specification

Human-computer interaction becomes sophisticated, multimodal and multi device and needs to be well-designed with the aim of facilitating application correction (i.e. to correcting errors/bugs in the application) or extension (i.e. adding new functionalities or modifying existing tasks). This thesis is focused on building a methodology of designing and specifying User Interface (UI) behaviour. The Unified Modelling Language (UML) is used to describe in detail the conceptual model and to define all its objects. The methodology flux diagram is provided with the specification of the consistency and the completeness properties of the transformation model. To support the methodology, we implement a graphic Dialog Editor in which Models are organized in three levels (abstract, concrete and final) according to Cameleon Reference Framework (CFR) and, whose process respects the Model Driven Engineering (MDE) approach. Furthermore, the use of Dialog Editor is illustrated through a simple exam...Les interfaces Homme-Machine deviennent de plus en plus complexes. Leur conception nécessite des nouveaux outils et/ou méthodes. En exploitant l'aproche orienté-modèle, cette thèse repond à ce besoin en proposant une méthodologie de conception des dialogues multi-plateform

State-of-the-Art Model Driven Game Development: A Survey of Technological Solutions for Game-Based Learning

Game-based learning harnesses the advantages of computer games technology to create a fun, motivating and interactive virtual learning environment that promotes problem-based experiential learning. Such an approach is advocated by many commentators to provide an enhanced learning experience than those based on traditional didactic methods. However, the adoption of such a seductive learning method engenders a range of technical, educational and pedagogical challenges, including: (i) how to enable domain experts - with little computer games development skills – to plan, develop and update their teaching material without going through endless and laborious iterative cycles of software and content development and/or adaptation; (ii) how to choose the right mix of entertainment and game playing to deliver the required educational and pedagogical lesson/teaching material; and (iii) how to reuse existing games software frameworks and associated editing environments for game-based learning. Much research is already underway at addressing the stated challenges; however, these approaches do not address the key challenge of facilitating the planning and development of teaching material with the right mix of pedagogical elements, educational components and fun. Thus, this study aims to investigate the use of model-driven software engineering approaches to facilitate non-technical domain experts (teachers) to plan, develop and maintain game-based learning resources regardless of the intricacies of the game engine/environment (platform) used. This article investigates the state-of-the-art in model-driven game development to provide a summary of developments in game design languages, game software modelling languages, game models, game software models, model-driven game frameworks, game software frameworks, model-driven engineering tools and assistive user interfaces. The findings from this survey will prove a useful guide for future development of high-level educational game creation tools for game-based learning

About model-based approaches in pervasive information systems development

Tese de doutoramento em Tecnologias e Sistemas de InformaçãoUbiquitous computing is a research field of computing technology with a growing number of researchers and represents a new direction on the thinking about the integration and use of computers in people’s lives. It aims to achieve a new computing paradigm, one in which there is a high degree of pervasiveness and widespread availability of computers or other IT devices, usually with communication capabilities, in the physical environment. Model-Driven Development (MDD) constitutes an approach to software design and development that strongly focuses and relies on models, through which we build software-platform independent models. Several contributions of MDD are: gains of productivity; concepts closer to domain and reduction of semantic gap; automation and less sensitivity to technological changes; and capture of expert knowledge and reuse. This thesis aims to contribute for the appropriate use of model-based/driven development approaches in software development for pervasive information systems (PIS). This work considers a case study research strategy. It uses two projects developed in the field of ubiquitous and mobile computing that directed their software development to a model-based/driven approach. This thesis describes and analyses the projects. Each one of the project is formalized in a SPEM 2.0 model that presents the main elements of the project. This SPEM model allows perceiving the structure and elements of the project, along with some issues and facts of the project. This thesis conceives a development framework that introduces several useful conceptions. Among these conceptions are the dimensions of development, functional profiles, resources categories, functional profile instances, global and elementary development process. In consonance with this development framework, the thesis proposes a SPEM 2.0 Base Plug-In extension and a development framework pattern to assist in the analysis of the projects. The SPEM 2.0 Base Plug-In extension defines elements that are fundamental to the definition and application of the development framework pattern. The development framework pattern is applied to each of the projects to facilitate the analysis. From the analysis of the projects, the thesis synthesizes a set of guidelines and insight related to the adoption of model-based/driven approaches to pervasive information system development.A computação ubíqua é um campo de investigação de tecnologia de computação com um número crescente de investigadores e representa uma nova direcção no pensamento sobre a integração e o uso de computadores na vida das pessoas. O objectivo é alcançar um novo paradigma de computação em que há um alto grau de abrangência e ampla disponibilidade de computadores ou outros dispositivos de tecnologias de informação, geralmente com recursos de comunicação, no ambiente físico. Model-Driven Development (MDD), constitui uma abordagem de desenho e desenvolvimento de software que se baseia em modelos, através da qual construímos modelos de plataforma de software independentes. Várias contribuições de MDD são: ganhos de produtividade; conceitos mais próximos ao domínio e à redução do salto semântico; automação e menor sensibilidade às mudanças tecnológicas; captura de conhecimento especializado e reutilização. Esta tese visa contribuir para a adequada utilização de abordagens de desenvolvimento baseadas/conduzidas por modelos no desenvolvimento de software para sistemas de informação “pervasive” (PIS). Esta tese apresenta uma estratégia de investigação de estudo de caso. Usa, como estudos de caso, dois projectos desenvolvidos no campo da computação ubíqua e móvel, e os quais dirigiram o seu desenvolvimento de software para uma abordagem baseada/conduzida por modelos. Esta tese descreve e analisa os projectos; cada um dos projectos é formalizado num modelo SPEM 2.0 que apresenta os elementos principais do projecto. Este modelo SPEM permite perceber a estrutura e os elementos do projecto, juntamente com alguns problemas e factos do projecto. Esta tese concebe uma estrutura de desenvolvimento que apresenta várias concepções úteis. Entre essas concepções estão as dimensões de desenvolvimento, os perfis funcionais, as categorias de recursos, instâncias de perfil funcional, os processos de desenvolvimento global e elementar. Em consonância com esta estrutura de desenvolvimento, a tese propõe uma extensão ao SPEM 2.0 Base Plug- In e um padrão de desenvolvimento para auxiliarem a análise dos projectos. A extensão ao SPEM 2.0 Base Plug-In define elementos que são fundamentais para a definição e aplicação do padrão de estrutura de desenvolvimento. O padrão de estrutura de desenvolvimento é aplicado a cada um dos projectos para facilitar a sua análise. A partir da análise dos projectos, a tese sintetiza um conjunto de directrizes e de ilações relacionadas com a adopção de abordagens MDD para o desenvolvimento de PIS.Programa Operacional Educacional (PRODEP), e do Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, através da sua Escola Superior de Tecnologia e de Gestão.Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. Escola Superior de Tecnologia e de Gestã

A method for using business process models in the elicitation of user stories

Agile software development projects often manage user requirements with models that are called user stories. Approaches for eliciting user stories from customer’s existing documentation are missing. Furthermore, proper understanding of user story’s context requires an understanding of execution-order and integration dependencies among user stories, which are also missing. In this thesis we propose so-called BuPUS method which 1) facilitates elicitation of user stories from existing business process models, and 2) supports better understanding of execution-order and integration dependencies among user stories from customer’s existing documentation. The method associates user stories with corresponding BPMN’s activity elements, or with corresponding text-written use case model’s events. We defined three levels of association granularity: a user story can be more abstract, approximately equal to, or more detailed than its associated business process model’s event/activity element. In our experiments we evaluated these three levels. We run two experiments. We applied comprehension, problem-solving and recall tasks to evaluate the hypotheses which refer to understanding of the dependencies. On the other hand, we measured user story elicitation’s effectiveness with counting correctly defined user stories. The statistical results provide support for eight out of eleven of the hypotheses. The results of our first experiment show, that understanding of the execution-order and integration dependencies among user stories, when associated business process models are available, is significantly greater. In our second experiment, we compared text-written use case model and BPMN model. There appears to be greater understanding of the execution-order dependencies when using BPMN models, while there were no significant differences in understanding integration dependencies. Similarly, for the elicitation of user stories there are no significant differences when using either of the mentioned models

A method for using business process models in the elicitation of user stories

Agile software development projects often manage user requirements with models that are called user stories. Approaches for eliciting user stories from customer’s existing documentation are missing. Furthermore, proper understanding of user story’s context requires an understanding of execution-order and integration dependencies among user stories, which are also missing. In this thesis we propose so-called BuPUS method which 1) facilitates elicitation of user stories from existing business process models, and 2) supports better understanding of execution-order and integration dependencies among user stories from customer’s existing documentation. The method associates user stories with corresponding BPMN’s activity elements, or with corresponding text-written use case model’s events. We defined three levels of association granularity: a user story can be more abstract, approximately equal to, or more detailed than its associated business process model’s event/activity element. In our experiments we evaluated these three levels. We run two experiments. We applied comprehension, problem-solving and recall tasks to evaluate the hypotheses which refer to understanding of the dependencies. On the other hand, we measured user story elicitation’s effectiveness with counting correctly defined user stories. The statistical results provide support for eight out of eleven of the hypotheses. The results of our first experiment show, that understanding of the execution-order and integration dependencies among user stories, when associated business process models are available, is significantly greater. In our second experiment, we compared text-written use case model and BPMN model. There appears to be greater understanding of the execution-order dependencies when using BPMN models, while there were no significant differences in understanding integration dependencies. Similarly, for the elicitation of user stories there are no significant differences when using either of the mentioned models

Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse