Project 5: Models@Work

Objective

In recent years modeling languages such as, for example, the Unified Modeling Language (UML) have entered the practical software engineering field. Whereas automated techniques for quality assurance are established during the implementation phase, quality of specifications is exclusively checked manually. This is a crucial issue as many specifications may become quite large and often exhibit complex structures. In general, a system specification comprises several sub models (e.g. software requirements document, analysis model, software architecture ...) and modeling elements in these sub models (e.g. actors, use cases) are profoundly linked together due to dependencies and relationships among each other.

Moreover, developers often work in heterogenous modeling environments, in which modeling elements are treated with different tools. The spectrum ranges from business process modeling tools, over UML tools, graphics processing, and text processing to development environments. Model inconsistencies or omissions thus are difficult to detect in terms of manual procedures. This project's objective is the development of an approach to quality assurance particularly for specification documents in heterogenous modeling environments.

In particular, this comprises automated checks. Examples for such automated checks are checking the existence of certain sub models or consistency checks of dependencies between model elements. On the other hand, the automated generation of so called views, shall support developers in manual quality assurance. In the course of this project a conceptual framework and a prototypical tool will be developed that supports automated generation and checking of views in heterogenous modeling environments.

Project Description

The project deals with the following topics:

• development of a meta-modeling approach (in the style of an UML-meta model) supporting the definition of modeling elements and models
• development of a language relying on OCL, including checks and views for modeling elements
• development of a tool architecture, which allows one for integration of model elements independent of modeling tools
• prototypical development of the tool with views and checks on the basis of selected modeling tools (e.g. Omondo, Code, text files)
• case study 1: development of views and checks for use case oriented design
• case study 2: development of views and checks for IT governance

Partner & Contact Persons

• Arctis GmbH.:Dr. Michael Breu
• Universität Innsbruck/QE:Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ruth Breu