Tackling Traceability Challenges through Modeling Principles in Methodologies Underpinned by Metamodels.

Traceability is recognized to be essential for supporting software development. However, a number of traceability issues are still open, such as link semantics formalization or traceability process models. Traceability methodologies underpinned by metamodels are a promising approach. However current metamodels still have serious limitations. Concerning methodologies in general, three hierarchical layered levels have been identified: metamodel, methodology and project. Metamodels do not often properly support this architecture, and that results in semantic problems at the time of specifying the methodology. Another reason is that they provide extensive predefined sets of types for describing project attributes, while these project attributes are domain specific and, sometimes, even project specific. This paper introduces two complementary modeling principles to overcome these limitations, i.e. the metamodeling three layer hierarchy, and power-type patterns modeling principles. Mechanisms to extend and refine traceability models are inherent to them. The paper shows that, when methodologies are developed from metamodels based on these two principles, the result is a methodology well fitted to project features. Links semantics is also improved

The Need for a Unifying Traceability Scheme

The benefits of traceability are widely accepted nowadays, however, several issues still make it difficult a wide-scale adoption of traceability in the software engineering practice. There is a lack of a commonly accepted traceability definition further than the term definition, a standard way of specifying traceability among items, and a traceability type classification; besides, conflicts among a number of approaches exist. As a result traceability-schemes implementation in tools lacks of generality and exchangeability. Round trip engineering therefore cannot be well enough supported. The motivation behind is aligned with that of PIM within the MDA initiative. This paper analyzes several current traceability schemes, in order to obtain relevant features and identify overlaps and inconsistencies among the approaches. Then, and based on the analysis, it provides an initial approach for a Traceability Specification Scheme. This scheme is expected to facilitate traceability specification for a given project, to improve the traceability management, and help to automate some traces management processes

A review of component interaction approaches from the testing perspective

Complex systems are usually made of heterogeneous components, either hardware or software or both. Component interactions, mostly those unexpected, are a source of conflict, since one of the main concerns for system reliability and predictability is precisely this component interaction. This paper reviews a number of approaches, produced over an eight year period, to component interaction focussing on component interaction modelling, testing and testing coverage. Other topics such as component interaction observation and pure monitoring/visualization of component interactions are outlined

Generating innovations for the internet of things : agility and speed

The Internet of Things (IoT) bears great potential for innovation in modern companies. Agility and speed both matter when innovating in such a context. The first Inno4IoT workshop focuses on how to properly achieve and balance the two aspects while innovating IoT-based solutions, which represents unique opportunities and challenges to researchers and practitioners alike. An overview of the three working papers presented and published in the workshop is provided in this introductory paper

A model for tracing variability from features to product-line architectures: a case study in smart grids

In current software systems with highly volatile requirements, traceability plays a key role to maintain the consistency between requirements and code. Traceability between artifacts involved in the development of Software Product Lines (SPL) is still more critical because it is necessary to guarantee that the selection of variants that realize the different SPL products meet the requirements. Current SPL traceability mechanisms trace from variability in features to variations in the configuration of product-line architecture (PLA) in terms of adding and removing components. However, it is not always possible to materialize the variable features of a SPL through adding or removing components, since sometimes they are materialized inside components, i.e. in part of their functionality: a class, a service and/or an interface. Additionally, variations that happen inside components may crosscut several components of architecture. These kinds of variations are still challenging and their traceability is not currently well-supported. Therefore, it is not possible to guarantee that those SPL products with these kinds of variations meet the requirements. This paper presents a solution for tracing variability from features to PLA by taking these kinds of variations into account. This solution is based on models and traceability between models in order to automate SPL configuration by selecting the variants and realizing the product application. The FPLA modeling framework supports this solution which has been deployed in a software factory. Validation has consisted in putting the solution into practice to develop a product line of power metering management applications for Smart Grids

A Systematic Process for Implementing Gateways for Test Tools

Test automation is facing a new challenge because tools, as well as having to provide conventional test functionalities, must be capable to interact with ever more heterogeneous complex systems under test (SUT). The number of existing software interfaces to access these systems is also a growing number. The problem cannot be analyzed only from a technical or engineering perspective; the economic perspective is as important. This paper presents a process to systematically implement gateways which support the communication between test tools and SUTs with a reduced cost. The proposed solution does not preclude any interface protocol at the SUT side. This process is supported using a generic architecture of a gateway defined on top of OSGi. Any test tool can communicate with the gateway through a unique defined interface. To communicate the gateway and the SUT, basically, the driver corresponding to the SUT software interface has to be loaded

Big Data Value Engineering for Business Model Innovation

Big data value engineering for business model innovation requires a drastically different approach as compared with methods for engineering value under existing business models. Taking a Design Science approach, we conducted an exploratory study to formulate the requirements for a method to aid in engineering value via innovation. We then developed a method, called Eco-ARCH (Eco-ARCHitecture) for value discovery. This method is tightly integrated with the BDD (Big Data Design) method for value realization, to form a big data value engineering methodology for addressing these requirements. The Eco-ARCH approach is most suitable for the big data context where system boundaries are fluid, requirements are ill-defined, many stakeholders are unknown, design goals are not provided, no central architecture pre-exists, system behavior is non-deterministic and continuously evolving, and co-creation with consumers and prosumers is essential to achieving innovation goals. The method was empirically validated in collaboration with an IT service company in the Electric Power industry

Meter data management for smart monitoring power networks

The electrical power distribution and commercialization scenario is evolving worldwide, and electricity companies, faced with the challenge of new information requirements, are demanding IT solutions to deal with the smart monitoring of power networks. Two main challenges arise from data management and smart monitoring of power networks: real-time data acquisition and big data processing over short time periods. We present a solution in the form of a system architecture that conveys real time issues and has the capacity for big data management

Building lean thinking in a telecom software development organization: strengths and challenges.

The potential shown by Lean in different domains has aroused interest in the software industry. However, it remains unclear how Lean can be effectively applied in a domain such as software development that is fundamentally different from manufacturing. This study explores how Lean principles are implemented in software development companies and the challenges that arise when applying Lean Software Development. For that, a case study was conducted at Ericsson R&D Finland, which successfully adopted Scrum in 2009 and subsequently started a comprehensible transition to Lean in 2010. Focus groups were conducted with company representatives to help devise a questionnaire supporting the creation of a Lean mindset in the company (Team Amplifier). Afterwards, the questionnaire was used in 16 teams based in Finland, Hungary and China to evaluate the status of the transformation. By using Lean thinking, Ericsson R&D Finland has made important improvements to the quality of its products, customer satisfaction and transparency within the organization. Moreover, build times have been reduced over ten times and the number of commits per day has increased roughly five times.The study makes two main contributions to research. First, the main factors that have enabled Ericsson R&D?s achievements are analysed. Elements such as ?network of product owners?, ?continuous integration?, ?work in progress limits? and ?communities of practice? have been identified as being of fundamental importance. Second, three categories of challenges in using Lean Software Development were identified: ?achieving flow?, ?transparency? and ?creating a learning culture