CrocoPat 2.1 Introduction and Reference Manual

CrocoPat is an efficient, powerful and easy-to-use tool for manipulating relations of arbitrary arity, including directed graphs. This manual provides an introduction to and a reference for CrocoPat and its programming language RML. It includes several application examples, in particular from the analysis of structural models of software systems.Comment: 19 pages + cover, 2 eps figures, uses llncs.cls and cs_techrpt_cover.sty, for downloading the source code, binaries, and RML examples, see http://www.software-systemtechnik.de/CrocoPat

FREE SEARCH AND DIFFERENTIAL EVOLUTION TOWARDS DIMENSIONS NUMBER CHANGE

This paper presents an exploration of Free Search (FS) and modified Differential Evolution (DE) with enhanced adaptivity. The aim of the study is to identify how these methods can cope with changes of the number of variables of a hard design test, unaided. The results suggest that both methods can adapt successfully to the variation of the number of variables and constraint conditions. The results are presented. Contributions to the engineering design are replacement in high extent of human based search with machine based and movement of optimisation process from human guided to machine self guided search

Organizing the Technical Debt Landscape

To date, several methods and tools for detecting source code and design anomalies have been developed. While each method focuses on identifying certain classes of source code anomalies that potentially relate to technical debt (TD), the overlaps and gaps among these classes and TD have not been rigorously demonstrated. We propose to construct a seminal technical debt landscape as a way to visualize and organize research on the subjec

Free Search Towards Multidimensional Optimisation Problems

The article presents experimental results achieved from a novel heuristic algorithm for real-value search and optimisation called Free Search (FS). The aim is to clarify the abilities of this method to return optimal solutions from multidimensional search spaces currently resistant to other search techniques

Requirements analysis for decision-support system design: evidence from the automotive industry

The purpose of this paper is to outline the requirements analysis that was carried out to support the development of a system that allows engineers to view real-time data integrated from multiple silos such as Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Warranty systems, in a single and visual environment. The outcome of this study provides a clear understanding of how engineers working in different phases of the product-lifecycle could utilise such information to improve the decision making process and as a result design better products. This study uses data collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews and workshops that includes people working in various roles within the automotive sector. In order to demonstrate the applicability this approach, SysML diagrams are also provided

Coordination Contracts as Connectors in Component-Based Development

Several proposals for component-based development methods have started to appear. However, the emphasis is still very much on the development of components as opposed to the development with components. The main focus is on how to generate ideal reusable components not on how to plug existing components and specify their interactions and connections. The concept of a coordination contract (Andrade and Fiadeiro 1999; Andrade and Fiadeiro 2001; Andrade, Fiadeiro et al. 2001) has been proposed to specify a mechanism of interaction between objects based on the separation between structure, what is stable, and interaction, what is changeable. This separation supports better any change of requirements, as contracts can be replaced, added or removed dynamically, i.e. in run-time, without having to interfere with the components that they coordinate. A coordination contract corresponds to an expressive architectural connector that can be used to plug existing components. In this paper we integrate the concept of a coordination contract with component-based development and show how coordination contracts can be used to specify the connectors between components

Defense against Insider Threat: a Framework for Gathering Goal-based Requirements

Insider threat is becoming comparable to outsider threat in frequency of security events. This is a worrying situation, since insider attacks have a high probability of success because insiders have authorized access and legitimate privileges. Despite their importance, insider threats are still not properly addressed by organizations. We contribute to reverse this situation by introducing a framework composed of a method for identification and assessment of insider threat risks and of two supporting deliverables for awareness of insider threat. The deliverables are: (i) attack strategies structured in four decomposition trees, and (ii) a matrix which correlates defense strategies, attack strategies and control principles. The method output consists of goal-based requirements for the defense against insiders

A Testability Analysis Framework for Non-Functional Properties

This paper presents background, the basic steps and an example for a testability analysis framework for non-functional properties