Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Reconciling requirements: a method for managing interference, inconsistency and conflict

  • Published:
Annals of Software Engineering

Abstract

This paper outlines a method, called reconciliation, for managing interference between partial specifications or viewpoints. The method supports the detection, verification and tracking of ontological overlaps. The paper describes the heuristics on which the method is based and illustrates the application of the method using a scenario.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arens, Y. and C. Knoblock (1992), “Planning and Reformulating Queries for Semantically-Modeled Multidatabase Systems,” In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management, pp. 92–101.

  • Batini, C., M. Lenzerini, and S. Navathe (1986), “A Comparative Analysis of Methodologies for Database Schema Integration,” ACM Computing Surveys 18,4, 322–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bright, M., A. Hurson, and P. Pakzad (1994), “Automated Resolution of Semantic Heterogeneity in Multidatabases,” ACM Transactions on Database Systems 19,2, 212–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collet, C., N. Huhns, and W.-M. Shen (1991), “Resource Integration Using a Large Knowledge Base in Carnot,” IEEE Transactions on Computers 24,12, 55–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Constantopoulos, P. and M. Doerr (1993), “The Semantic Index System: A Brief Presentation,” Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. (Available by ftp from: http://www.ics.forth.gr/proj/isst/Systems/SIS/index.html).

    Google Scholar 

  • Easterbrook, S. (1991), “Handling Conflict between Domain Descriptions with Computer-Supported Negotiation,” Knowledge Acquisition 3, 255–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Easterbrook, S., A. Finkelstein, J. Kramer, and B. Nuseibeh (1994), “Co-Ordinating Distributed View-Points: The Anatomy of a Consistency Check,” International Journal on Concurrent Engineering: Research and Applications 2,3, CERA Institute, USA, 209–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Easterbrook, S. and B. Nuseibeh (1995), “Managing Inconsistencies in an Evolving Specification,” In Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering, IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos, CA, pp. 48–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finkelstein, A., D. Gabbay, A. Hunter, J. Kramer, and B. Nuseibeh (1994), “Inconsistency Handling in Multi-Perspective Specifications,” IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 20,8, 569–578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finkelstein, A. and I. Sommerville (1996), “The Viewpoints FAQ,” Software Engineering Journal: Special Issue on Viewpoints for Software Engineering 11,1, 2–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goh, C., S. Madnick, and M. Siegel (1994), “Context Interchange: Overcoming the Challenges of Large-Scale Interoperable Database Systems in a Dynamic Environment,” In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management, Gaithersurg, MR, USA, pp. 337–346.

  • Heitmeyer, C., B. Law, and D. Kiskis (1995), “Consistency Checking of SCR-Style Requirements Specifications,” In Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering, York, England, pp. 56–63.

  • Hunter, A. and B. Nuseibeh (1995), “Managing Inconsistent Specifications: Reasoning, Analysis and Action,” Technical Report TR-95/15, Department of Computing, Imperial College, London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, I. (1993), Object Oriented Software Engineering: A Use Case Driven Approach, Addison-Wesley, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johanneson, P. (1993), “Schema Transformations as an Aid in View Integration,” In Proceedings of CAiSE'93, Lecture Notes in Comput. Sci. 685, Springer, Berlin, Germany, pp. 144–151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kotonya, G. and I. Sommerville (1992), “Viewpoints for Requirements Definition,” Software Engineering Journal 7,6, 375–387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leite, J. and P. Freeman (1991), “Requirements Validation Through Viewpoint Resolution,” IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 17,12, 1253–1269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leonhard, U., A. Finkelstein, J. Kramer, and B. Nuseibeh. (1995), “Decentralised Process Enactment in a Multi-Perspective Development Environment,” In Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE-17), IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos, CA, pp. 255–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maiden, N., P. Assenova, P. Constantopoulos, M. Jarke, P. Johanneson, H. Nissen, G. Spanoudakis, and A. Sutcliffe (1995), “Computational Mechanisms for Distributed Requirements Engineering,” In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering (SEKE'95), Knowledge Systems Institute, New York, NY, pp. 8–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyers, S. and S. Reiss (1991), “A System for Multiparadigm Development of Software Systems,” In Proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Software Specification and Design (IWSSD-6), IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos, CA, pp. 202–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Motschnig-Pitrik, P. (1993), “The Semantics of Parts vs. Aggregates in Data Knowledge Modeling,” In Proceedings of CAiSE'93, Lecture Notes in Comput. Sci. 685, Springer, Berlin, Germany, pp. 352–373.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mylopoulos, J., A. Borgida, M. Jarke, and M. Koubarakis (1990), “Telos: Representing Knowledge About Information Systems,” ACM Transactions on Information Systems 8,4, 325–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nuseibeh, B., J. Kramer, and A. Finkelstein (1994), “A Framework for Expressing the Relationship Between Multiple Views in Requirements Specification,” IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 20,10, 760–773.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, W. and S. Fickas (1994), “Supporting Multi-Perspective Requirements Engineering,” In Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Requirements Engineering, IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos, CA, pp. 206–215.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Sciore, E., E. Siegel, and A. Rosenthal (1994), “Using Semantic Values to Facilitate the Interoperability Among Heterogeneous Information Systems,” ACM Transactions on Database Systems 19,2, 254–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheth, A. and J. Larson (1990), “Federated Database Systems for Managing Distributed, Heterogeneous and Autonomous Databases,” ACM Computing Surveys 22,3, 183–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanoudakis, G. (1994), “Analogical Similarity of Objects: A Conceptual Modelling Approach,” PhD Dissertation, Department of Computer Science, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece (available by ftp from: http://web.cs.city.ac.uk/homes/gespan/info.html).

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanoudakis, G. and P. Constantopoulos (1994a), “Similarity for Analogical Software Reuse: A Computational Model,” In Proceedings of the 11th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI'94), John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY, pp. 18–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanoudakis, G. and P. Constantopoulos (1994b), “On Evidential Feature Salience,” In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Database and Expert Systems Applications (DEXA'94), Springer, Berlin, Germany, pp. 153–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanoudakis, G. and P. Constantopoulos (1995), “Integrating Specifications: A Similarity Reasoning Approach,” Automated Software Engineering Journal 2,4, 311–342.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanoudakis, G. and P. Constantopoulos (1996), “Elaborating Analogies from Conceptual Models,” International Journal of Intelligent Systems 11,11, 917–974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Storey, V. (1993), “Understanding Semantic Relations,” Journal of Very Large Data Bases 3, 455–488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zave, P. and M. Jackson (1993), “Conjunction as Composition,” ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology 2,4, 379–411.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, City University, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK

    George Spanoudakis & Anthony Finkelstein

Authors
  1. George Spanoudakis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anthony Finkelstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Spanoudakis, G., Finkelstein, A. Reconciling requirements: a method for managing interference, inconsistency and conflict. Annals of Software Engineering 3, 433–457 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018998207415

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018998207415

Keywords

Search

Navigation