Abstract
For large software developments, process modelling can be used to guide and monitor the use of development tools. This paper explores the addition of “behavioural properties” to process models as a means for reasoning about the status of a software development as it evolves under a given process model. In this way, the behaviour of the process model may be given as a static meaning of each status, rather than having to evaluate the dynamic execution of the whole process model. These ideas are illustrated on a small case study. The process model is translated into VDM and standard VDM verification techniques are applied to show, among other things, that the behavioural properties are maintained by the process and that tools are invoked from the process model only when their preconditions are satisfied.
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
J. C. Bicarregui, J. S. Fitzgerald, P. A. Lindsay, R. D. Moore, and B. Ritchie. Proof in VDM: A Practitioner's Guide. FACIT Series. Springer-Verlag, 1994. ISBN 3-540-19813-X.
W. Deiters and V. Gruhn. Managing software processes in the environment MELMAC. In R. N. Taylor, editor, Proc. 4th ACM SIGSOFT Symp. on Software Development Environments, vol. 15, SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes, Dec. 1990.
D. Harel. Statecharts: a visual approach to complex systems. Science of Computer Programming, 8(3):231–274, 1987.
C. B. Jones, K. D. Jones, P. A. Lindsay, and R. D. Moore. Mural: A Formal Development Support System. Springer-Verlag, London, 1991.
C. B. Jones. Systematic Software Development using VDM. Prentice Hall International, second edition, 1990.
G. Junkermann, B. Peuschel, W. Schäfer, and S. Wolf. MERLIN: Supporting cooperation in software development through a knowledge-based environment. Tech. Rep. No. 70, Univ. of Dortmund, Germany, September 1993.
G. Junkermann. How to improve process programming in merlin. Tech. Rep., Univ. of Dortmund, Germany, 1994. To appear.
P. A. Lindsay and E. van Keulen. Verification Case Studies in Z and VDM. Tech. Rep. TR 94-3, Software Verification Research Centre, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Univ. of Queensland, Australia, 1994.
B. Peuschel and W. Schäfer. Concepts and implementation of a rule-based process engine. In Proc. 14th Int. Conf. on Software Engineering, Melbourne, Australia, May 1992.
B. Peuschel, W. Schäfer, and S. Wolf. A knowledge-based software development environment supporting cooperative work. International Journal of Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering, 2(1):79–106, 1992.
K. J. Ross and P. A. Lindsay. Maintaining consistency under changes to formal specifications. In J. C. P. Woodcock and P. G. Larsen, editors, Proceedings of Formal Methods Europe — 1993, LNCS 670, pages 558–577. Springer-Verlag, April 1993.
K. J. Ross and P. A. Lindsay. A VDM Verification of Merlin Process Models. Tech. Rep. TR 94-7, Software Verification Research Centre, Dept. of Comp. Sci., University of Queensland, 1994.
VDM specification language proto-standard: Draft. British Standards Institute, Working Group IST/5/19, November 1993. ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG19 N-20.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Ross, K.J., Lindsay, P.A. (1994). A precise examination of the behaviour of process models. In: Naftalin, M., Denvir, T., Bertran, M. (eds) FME '94: Industrial Benefit of Formal Methods. FME 1994. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 873. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-58555-9_99
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-58555-9_99
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-58555-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49031-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive