Towards a comparative evaluation of text-based specification formalisms and diagrammatic notations

Specification plays a vital role in software engineering to facilitate the development of highly dependable software. The importance of specification in software development is to serve, amongst others, as a communication tool for stakeholders in the software project. The specification also adds to the understanding of operations, and describes the properties of a system. Various techniques may be used for specification work. Z is a formal specification language that is based on a strongly-typed fragment of Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory and first-order logic to provide for precise and unambiguous specifications. Z uses mathematical notation to build abstract data, which is necessary for a specification. The role of abstraction is to describe what the system does without prescribing how it should be done. Diagrams, on the other hand, have also been used in various areas, and in software engineering they could be used to add a visual component to software specifications. It is plausible that diagrams may also be used to reason in a semi-formal way about the properties of a specification. Many diagrammatic languages are based on contours and set theory. Examples of these languages are Euler-, Spider-, Venn- and Pierce diagrams. Euler diagrams form the foundation of most diagrams that are based on closed curves. Diagrams, on the other hand, have also been used in various areas, and in software engineering they could be used to add a visual component to software specifications. It is plausible that diagrams may also be used to reason in a semi-formal way about the properties of a specification. Many diagrammatic languages are based on contours and set theory. Examples of these languages are Euler-, Spider-, Venn- and Pierce diagrams. Euler diagrams form the foundation of most diagrams that are based on closed curves. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the extent to which diagrams can be used to represent a Z specification. A case study is used to transform the specification modelled with Z language into a diagrammatic specification. Euler, spider, Venn and Pierce diagrams are combined for this purpose, to form one diagrammatic notation that is used to transform a Z specificationSchool of ComputingM. Sc. (Information Systems

Formal methods adoption in the commercial world

: leaves 122-134There have been numerous studies on formal methods but little utilisation of formal methods in the commercial world. This can be attributed to many factors, such as that few specialists know how to use formal methods. Moreover, the use of mathematical notation leads to the perception that formal methods are difficult. Formal methods can be described as system design methods by which complex computer systems are built using mathematical notation and logic. Formal methods have been used in the software development world since 1940, that is to say, from the earliest stage of computer development. To date, there has been a slow adoption of formal methods, which are mostly used for mission-critical projects in, for example, the military and the aviation industry. Researchers worldwide are conducting studies on formal methods, but the research mostly deals with path planning and control and not the runtime verification of autonomous systems. The main focus of this dissertation is the question of how to increase the pace at which formal methods are adopted in the business or commercial world. As part of this dissertation, a framework was developed to facilitate the use of formal methods in the commercial world. The framework mainly focuses on education, support tools, buy-in and remuneration. The framework was validated using a case study to illustrate its practicality. This dissertation also focuses on different types of formal methods and how they are used, as well as the link between formal methods and other software development techniques. An ERP system specification is presented in both natural language (informal) and formal notation, which demonstrates how a formal specification can be derived from an informal specification using the enhanced established strategy for constructing a Z specification as a guideline. Success stories of companies that are applying formal methods in the commercial world are also presented.School of ComputingM. Sc. (Computing

Policy Specifications with Timed Spider Diagrams

Spider Diagrams are a well-established visual language used to specify sets, their relationships, and constraints on their cardinalities but they have no means of specifying temporal aspects of a system. Timed Spider Diagrams are an evolution enabling the specification of temporal constraints, with a granular-based time system, for use in areas such as policy specification. In this paper we introduce event based actions to this framework and illustrate with examples from models of an automatic parking meter system, and an internet billing system