605 research outputs found
Modelling the Strategic Alignment of Software Requirements using Goal Graphs
This paper builds on existing Goal Oriented Requirements Engineering (GORE)
research by presenting a methodology with a supporting tool for analysing and
demonstrating the alignment between software requirements and business
objectives. Current GORE methodologies can be used to relate business goals to
software goals through goal abstraction in goal graphs. However, we argue that
unless the extent of goal-goal contribution is quantified with verifiable
metrics and confidence levels, goal graphs are not sufficient for demonstrating
the strategic alignment of software requirements. We introduce our methodology
using an example software project from Rolls-Royce. We conclude that our
methodology can improve requirements by making the relationships to business
problems explicit, thereby disambiguating a requirement's underlying purpose
and value.Comment: v2 minor updates: 1) bitmap images replaced with vector, 2) reworded
related work ref[6] for clarit
RE: A case of treatment-resistant depression in an older adult and a discussion of treatment options
Towards an Approach for Analysing the Strategic Alignment of Software Requirements using Quantified Goal Graphs
Analysing the strategic alignment of software requirements primarily provides
assurance to stakeholders that the software-to-be will add value to the
organisation. Additionally, such analysis can improve a requirement by
disambiguating its purpose and value, thereby supporting validation and
value-oriented decisions in requirements engineering processes, such as
prioritisation, release planning, and trade-off analysis. We review current
approaches that could enable such an analysis. We focus on Goal Oriented
Requirements Engineering methodologies, since goal graphs are well suited for
relating software goals to business goals. However, we argue that unless the
extent of goal-goal contribution is quantified with verifiable metrics, goal
graphs are not sufficient for demonstrating the strategic alignment of software
requirements. Since the concept of goal contribution is predictive, what
results is a forecast of the benefits of implementing software requirements.
Thus, we explore how the description of the contribution relationship can be
enriched with concepts such as uncertainty and confidence, non-linear
causation, and utility. We introduce the approach using an example software
project from Rolls-Royce.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1211.625
Magnetic confinement of the solar tachocline
We study the physics of the solar tachocline and related MHD instabilities.
We have performed 3-D MHD simulations of the solar radiative interior to check
whether a fossil magnetic field is able to prevent the spread of the
tachocline. Starting with a purely poloidal magnetic field and a latitudinal
shear meant to be imposed by the convection zone at the top of the radiation
zone, we have investigated the interactions between magnetic fields, rotation
and shear, using the spectral code ASH on massive parallel supercomputers. In
all cases we have explored, the fossil field diffuses outward and ends up
connecting with the convection zone, whose differential rotation is then
imprinted at latitudes above 40 deg throughout the radiative interior,
according to Ferraro's law of isorotation. Rotation remains uniform in the
lower latitude region which is contained within closed field lines. We find
that the meridional flow cannot stop the inward progression of the differential
rotation. Further, we observe the development of non-axisymmetric
magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, first due to the initial poloidal
configuration of the fossil field, and later to the toroidal field produced by
shearing the poloidal field through the differential rotation. We do not find
dynamo action as such in the radiative interior, since the mean poloidal field
is not regenerated. But the instability persists during the whole evolution,
while slowly decaying with the mean poloidal field. According to our numerical
simulations, a fossil magnetic field cannot prevent the radiative spread of the
tachocline, and thus it is unable to enforce uniform rotation in the radiation
zone. Neither can the observed thinness of that layer be invoked as a proof for
such an internal fossil magnetic field.Comment: 12 pages, 8 color figures (low res), published in A&A, october 200
Repetition between stakeholder (user) and system requirements
Stakeholder requirements (also known as user requirements) are defined at an early stage of a software project to describe the problem(s) to be solved. At a later stage, abstract solutions to those problems are prescribed in system requirements. The quality of these requirements has long been linked to the quality of the software system and its development or procurement process. However, little is known about the quality defect of redundancy between these two sets of requirements. Previous literature is anecdotal rather than exploratory, and so this paper empirically investigates its occurrence and consequences with a case study from a UK defense contractor. We report on a survey of sixteen consultants to understand their perception of the problem, and on an analysis of real-world software requirements documents using natural language processing techniques. We found that three quarters of the consultants had seen repetition in at least half of their projects. Additionally, we found that on average, a third of the requirement pairsâ (comprised of a system and its related stakeholder requirement) description fields were repeated such that one requirement in the pair added only trivial information. That is, solutions were described twice while their respective problems were not described, which ultimately lead to suboptimal decisions later in the development process, as well as reduced motivation to read the requirements set. Furthermore, the requirement fields considered to be secondary to the primary âdescriptionâ field, such as the ârationaleâ or âfit criterionâ fields, had considerably more repetition within URâSysR pairs. Finally, given that the URâSysR repetition phenomena received most of its discussion in the literature over a decade ago, it is interesting that the survey participants did not consider its occurrence to have declined since then. We provide recommendations on preventing the defect, and describe the freely available tool developed to automatically detect its occurrence and alleviate its consequences
UTM regulatory concerns with machine learning and artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will have a significant impact on the application of drones and the integration of universal/unmanned traffic management (UTM) that relate to unmanned operations in urban environments at very low-level airspace. Artificial intelligence will necessitate high levels of automation and act as an enabler with respect to the integration of unmanned and manned aviation and will ultimately enable safe operations with respect to high numbers of drones utilising the same airspace, and more specifically with respect to detect and avoid capability. AI is going to be heavily developed and utilised by organisations that certify as U-space service providers (USSPâs) when providing a service to Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Operators. The equipment utilised by UAS Operators will to some extent already benefit from AI, but the level of automation is currently constrained by regulation. A legal framework must exist, as AI will not only have a significant impact upon existing laws but will ensure a framework that facilitates safety and the fundamental rights of citizens and businesses with respect to AI. The EU has published a proposed law, namely the Artificial Intelligence Act as permitted under Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)
Combinatorics of compactified universal Jacobians
We use orientations on stable graphs to express the combinatorial structure
of the compactified universal Jacobians in degrees g-1 and g over the moduli
space of stable curves, \Mgb, and construct for them graded stratifications
compatible with the one of \Mgb. In particular, for a stable curve we exhibit
graded stratifications of the compactified Jacobians in terms of totally
cyclic, respectively rooted, orientations on subgraphs of its dual graph.Comment: Final version, to appear in Advances in Mathematics. 41 page
Kanuka honey versus aciclovir for the topical treatment of herpes simplex labialis : a randomised controlled trial
Objective To compare New Zealand medical grade kanuka honey with topical aciclovir for the treatment of herpes simplex labialis. Design Prospective parallel randomised controlled open-label superiority trial. Setting 76 community pharmacies across New Zealand between 10 September 2015 and 13 December 2017. Participants 952 adults randomised within the first 72 hours of a herpes simplex labialis episode. Interventions Random assignment 1:1 to either 5% aciclovir cream or medical grade kanuka honey (90%)/glycerine (10%) cream, both applied five times daily. Outcome measures The primary outcome was time from randomisation to return to normal skin (stage 7). Secondary outcomes included time from randomisation to stage 4 (open wound), time from stage 4 to 7, maximal pain, time to pain resolution and treatment acceptability. Results Primary outcome variable: Kaplan-Meier-based estimates (95% CI) for the median time in days for return to normal skin were 8 (8 to 9) days for aciclovir and 9 (8 to 9) for honey; HR (95% CI) 1.06 (0.92 to 1.22), p=0.56. There were no statistically significant differences between treatments for all secondary outcome variables. No related serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion There was no evidence of a difference in efficacy between topical medical grade kanuka honey and 5% aciclovir in the pharmacy-based treatment of herpes simplex labialis
- âŠ