research-article

Open access

Partial order semantics for use case and task models

Authors:

Ferhat Khendek,

Patrice ChalinAuthors Info & Claims

Formal Aspects of Computing, Volume 23, Issue 3

Pages 307 - 332

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00165-010-0158-z

Published: 01 May 2011 Publication History

Abstract

Use case models are the specification medium of choice for functional requirements, while task models are employed to capture User Interface (UI) requirements and design information. In current practice, both entities are treated independently and are often developed by different teams, which have their own philosophies and lifecycles. This lack of integration is problematic and often results in inconsistent functional and UI design specifications causing duplication of effort while increasing the maintenance overhead. To address these shortcomings, we propose a formal semantic framework for the integrated development of use case and task models. The semantic mapping is defined in a two step manner from a particular use case or task model notation to the common semantic domain of sets of partially ordered sets. This two-step mapping results in a semantic framework that can be more easily reused and extended. The intermediate semantic domains have been carefully chosen by taking into consideration the intrinsic characteristics of use case and task models. As a concrete example, we provide a semantics for our own DSRG use case formalism and an extended version of ConcurTaskTrees, one of the most popular task model notations. Furthermore, we use the common semantic model to formally define a set of refinement relations for use case and task models.

References

References

[1]

Ait-Ameur Y, Baron M, Kamel N (2005) Encoding a process algebra using the Event B Method. Application to the validation of user interfaces. In: Proceedings of 2nd IEEE international symposium on leveraging applications of formal methods (ISOLA) 2005, Columbia, USA

[2]

Abrial JR (1996) Extending B without changing it (for developing distributed systems). In: Proceedings of putting into pratice methods and tools for information system design

[3]

Alur R, Holzmann GJ, and Peled D An analyzer for message sequence charts Softw Concepts Tools 1996 17 2 70-77

[4]

Annett J and Duncan KD Task analysis and training design Occup Psychol 1967 41 211-221

[5]

Armour F and Miller G Advanced use case modeling 2001 Boston Addison-Wesley

Digital Library

[6]

Baeten JCM and Weijland WP Process algebra 1990 New York Cambridge University Press

[7]

Börger E, Cavarra A, Riccobene E (2000) Modeling the dynamics of UML. In: Proceedings of ASM’2000, Switzerland, pp 223–241

[8]

Börger E, Cavarra A, and Riccobene E On formalizing UML state machines using ASMs Inf Softw Technol 2004 46 5 287-292

[9]

Börger E, Cavarra A, Riccobene E (2000) An ASM Semantics for UML activity diagrams. In: Proceedings of 8th international conference on algebraic methodology and software technology, Iowa City, Iowa, USA, pp 293–308

[10]

van den Bergh J, Coninx K (2007) From task to dialog model in the UML. In: Proceedings of TaMoDia 2007, Toulouse, France, pp 98–111

[11]

Butler G, Grogono P, Khendek F (1998) A Z specification of use cases. In: Proceedings of APSEC 1998, pp 94–101

[12]

Barnett M, Grieskamp W, Schulte W, Tillmann N, Veanes M (2003) Validating use-cases with the AsmL test tool. In: Proceedings of Quality Software 2003, pp 238–246

[13]

Blyth TS Set theory and abstract algebra 1975 London Longman

[14]

Bolton C, Davies J (2000) Activity graphs and processes. In: Proceedings of integrated formal methods, Berlin, Germany, pp 77–96

[15]

Bomsdorf B (2007) The WebTaskModel approach to web process modelling. In: Proceedings of task models and diagrams for user interface design toulouse, France, pp 240–253

[16]

Bowman H, Steen MWA, Boiten EA, Derrick J (2002) A formal framework for viewpoint consistency. In: Proceedings of formal methods in system design, September 2002, pp 111–166

[17]

Burns A, Baxter G (2006) Time bands for systems structure. In: Structure for dependability: computer-based systems from an interdisciplinary perspective. Springer, Berlin

[18]

Butler M (1992) A CSP approach to action systems. PhD Thesis in Computing Laboratory, Oxford University, Oxford

[19]

Card S, Moran TP, and Newell A The psychology of human computer interaction 1983 Hillsdale Erlbaum

Digital Library

[20]

Cockburn A Writing effective use cases 2001 Boston Addison-Wesley

Digital Library

[21]

De Nicola R Extensional equivalences for transition systems Acta Inf 1987 24 211-237

Digital Library

[22]

Dittmar A, Forbrig F, Stoiber S, Stary C (2004) Tool support for task modelling—a constructive exploration. In: Proceedings of design, specification and verification of interactive systems 2004, July 2004

[23]

Dittmar A, Forbrig P (2003) Higher-order task models. In: Proceedings of design, specification and verification of interactive systems 2003, pp 187–202

[24]

Engels G, Hücking R, Sauer S, Wagner A (1999) UML Collaboration Diagrams and Their Transformation to Java in Proceedings of UIML’99, Fort Collins, CO, USA

[25]

Fröhlich P, Link J (2000) Automated test case generation from dynamic models. In: Proceedings of ECOOP’00, Sophia Antipolis and Cannes, France, pp 472–492

[26]

Fernandes J, Tjell S, Jorgensen JB, Ribeiro O (2007) Designing tool support for translating Use Cases and UML 2.0 sequence diagrams into a coloured Petri Net. In: Proceedings of sixth international workshop on scenarios and state machines (SCESM’07), Minneapolis, MN, IEEE Computer Society

[27]

Grieskamp W, Lepper M, Schulte W, Tillmann N (2001) Testable use cases in the abstract state machine language. In: Proceedings of second Asia-Pacific conference on quality software, IEEE Computer Society

[28]

Hopcroft JE, Motwani R, and Ullman JD Introduction to automata theory, languages, and computation 2007 3 Boston Pearson/Addison Wesley

Digital Library

[29]

Gomaa H Designing software product lines with UML 2005 Boston Addison-Wesley

Digital Library

[30]

Grosu R, Smolka SA (2005) Safety-liveness semantics for UML 2.0 sequence diagrams. In: Proceedings of fifth international conference on application of concurrency to system design, Los Alamitos, CA, USA, pp 6–14

[31]

Haugen Ø, Husa KE, Runde RK, and Stølen K STAIRS towards formal design with sequence diagrams Softw Syst Model 2005 4 4 355-357

[32]

Interactions, I.-I. P. S.-O. S. (1987). ISO 8807: LOTOS—a formal description technique based on the temporal ordering of observational behaviour. Elsevier, Amsterdam

[33]

ITU-T (1999) Recommendation Z.120- message sequence charts. Geneva

[34]

Ichikawa H, Yamanaka K, Kato J (1990) Incremental specification in LOTOS. In: Proceedings of protocol specification, testing and verification X, Ottawa, Canada, pp 183–196

[35]

Jacobson I (1992) Object-oriented software engineering: a use case driven approach, ACM Press (Addison-Wesley Pub), New York

[36]

Katoen JP, Lambert L (1998) Pomsets for message sequence charts. In: Proceedings of formale beschreibungstechniken für verteilte systeme, Cottbus, Germany, Shaker Verlag, pp 197–207

[37]

Khendek F, Bourduas S, Vincent D (2001) Stepwise design with message sequence charts. In: Proceedings of formal techniques for networked and distributed systems (FORTE), Cheju Island, Korea, pp 19–34

[38]

Klug T, Kangasharju J (2005) Executable task models. In: Proceedings of 4th international workshop on Task models and diagrams, Gdansk, Poland, pp 119–122

[39]

Kuutti K (1995) Activity theory as a potential framework for human-computer interaction research. In: Context and consciousness: activity theory and human-computer interaction, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, pp 17–44

[40]

Kwon G (2000) Rewrite rules and operational semantics for model checking UML Statecharts. In: Proceedings of UML’2000, York, UK, pp 528–540

[41]

Li L (2000) Translating use cases to sequence diagrams. In: Proceedings of IEEE ASE 2000 Grenoble, France, pp 293–296

[42]

Merrick P and Barrow P The rationale for OO associations in use case modelling J Object Technol 2005 4 9 123-142

[43]

Mizouni R (2007) Formal composition of partial system behaviors. PhD Thesis in Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal

[44]

Milner R, Parrow J, and Walker D A calculus of mobile processes Inf Comput 1992 100 1-40

Digital Library

[45]

Nipkow T, Paulson L, and Wenzel M Isabelle/HOL: a proof assistant for higher-order logic 2008 Berlin Springer

[46]

Övergaard G, Palmkvist K (1998) A formal approach to use cases and their relationships. In: Proceedings of UML’98, Mulhouse, France

[47]

Paternò F, Santoro C (2001) The ConcurTaskTrees notation for task modelling, Technical Report in CNUCE-C.N.R

[48]

Paternò F and Santoro C Support for reasoning about interactive systems through human–computer interaction designers’ representations Comp J 2003 48 4 340-357

[49]

Paternò F Model-based design and evaluation of interactive applications 2000 Berlin Springer

[50]

Pressman RS Software engineering: a practitioner’s approach 2005 Boston McGraw-Hill

Digital Library

[51]

Reggio G, Astesiano E, Choppy C, Hußmann H (2000) Analysing UML active classes and associated state machines - a lightweight formal approach. In: Proceedings of third international conference on fundamental approaches to software engineering, Berlin, pp 127–146

[52]

Roscoe AW (2005) The theory and practice of concurrency, Prentice-Hall (Pearson), Upper Saddle River

[53]

Rui K (2007) Refactoring use case models. PhD thesis in Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal

[54]

Sinnig D, Chalin P, Khendek F (2007) Common semantics for use cases and task models. In: Proceedings of integrated formal methods. Oxford, England, pp 579–598

[55]

Seffah A, Desmarais MC, Metzger M (2005) Software and usability engineering: prevalent myths, obstacles and integration avenues. In: Human-centered software engineering—integrating usability in the software development lifecycle. Springer, Berlin

[56]

Sinnig D, Chalin P, Khendek F (2007) Consistency between task models and use cases. In: Proceedings of DSV-IS 2007, Salamanca, Spain

[57]

Sinnig D (2008) Use case and task models: formal unification and integrated development methodology. PhD Thesis in Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, (available at http://users.encs.concordia.ca/~d_sinnig/phd/Sinnig_PhDThesis2009.pdf)

[58]

Souchon N, Limbourg Q, Vanderdonckt J (2002) Task modelling in multiple contexts of use. In: Proceedings of design, specification and verification of interactive systems, Rostock, Germany, pp 59–73

[59]

Somé S (2007) Petri nets based formalization of textual use cases. Technical Report in SITE, TR-2007-11, University of Ottawa

[60]

Stevens P (2001) On use cases and their relationships in the unified modelling language. In: Proceedings of 4th international conference on fundamental approaches to software engineering, pp 140–155

[61]

Storrle H (2003) Semantics of interactions in UML 2.0. In: Proceedings of symposium on human centric computing languages and environments, Los Alamitos, CA, USA, pp 129–136

[62]

Sinnig D, Wurdel M, Forbrig P, Chalin P, Khendek F (2007) Practical extensions for task models. In: Proceedings of TaMoDia ‘07, Toulouse, France. Springer, Berlin

[63]

Zheng T (2004) Validation and refinement of timed MSC specifications. PhD Thesis in Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal

Cited By

Saleem IAmbreen SShahid MWajid AShujja A(2019)Modeling GUI Widgets from Use Case Elaboration2019 International Conference on Innovative Computing (ICIC)10.1109/ICIC48496.2019.8966703(1-7)Online publication date: Nov-2019
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICIC48496.2019.8966703
Cai JLi QChen YLiu YXia YRahmany S(2019)Troubleshooting Test Method Based on Industrial Control Grammar Model2019 IEEE International Conference on Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) and IEEE International Conference on Embedded and Ubiquitous Computing (EUC)10.1109/CSE/EUC.2019.00082(404-409)Online publication date: Aug-2019
https://doi.org/10.1109/CSE/EUC.2019.00082
Adelsberger SSetzer AWalkingshaw E(2018)Developing GUI Applications in a Verified SettingDependable Software Engineering. Theories, Tools, and Applications10.1007/978-3-319-99933-3_6(89-107)Online publication date: 26-Aug-2018
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99933-3_6
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

Partial order semantics for use case and task models
1. Software and its engineering
  1. Software creation and management
    1. Designing software
      1. Requirements analysis
      2. Software implementation planning
        Software design techniques
    2. Software development process management
  2. Software notations and tools
2. Theory of computation
  1. Semantics and reasoning
    1. Program semantics

Index terms have been assigned to the content through auto-classification.

Recommendations

Common semantics for use cases and task models
IFM'07: Proceedings of the 6th international conference on Integrated formal methods

In this paper, we introduce a common semantic framework for developing and formally modeling use cases and task models. Use cases are the notation of choice for functional requirements specification and documentation, whereas task models are used as a ...
LTS semantics for use case models
SAC '09: Proceedings of the 2009 ACM symposium on Applied Computing

Formalization is a necessary precondition for the specification of precise and unambiguous use case models, which serve as reference points for the design and implementation of software systems. In this paper, we define a formal semantics for use case ...
Towards a Common Semantic Foundation for Use Cases and Task Models

Use cases are the notation of choice for functional requirements documentation, whereas task models are used as a starting point for user interface design. In this paper, we motivate the need for an integrated development methodology in order to narrow ...

Comments

Information & Contributors

Information

Published In

cover image Formal Aspects of Computing

Formal Aspects of Computing Volume 23, Issue 3

May 2011

150 pages

ISSN:0934-5043

EISSN:1433-299X

Issue’s Table of Contents

© British Computer Society 2010.

Publisher

Springer-Verlag

Berlin, Heidelberg

Publication History

Published: 01 May 2011

Accepted: 14 April 2010

Received: 16 February 2009

Published in FAC Volume 23, Issue 3

Author Tags

Qualifiers

Research-article

Contributors

Other Metrics

View Article Metrics

Bibliometrics & Citations

Bibliometrics

Article Metrics

6
Total Citations
View Citations
63
Total Downloads

Downloads (Last 12 months)41
Downloads (Last 6 weeks)4

Reflects downloads up to 26 Jan 2025

Other Metrics

View Author Metrics

Citations

Cited By

Saleem IAmbreen SShahid MWajid AShujja A(2019)Modeling GUI Widgets from Use Case Elaboration2019 International Conference on Innovative Computing (ICIC)10.1109/ICIC48496.2019.8966703(1-7)Online publication date: Nov-2019
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICIC48496.2019.8966703
Cai JLi QChen YLiu YXia YRahmany S(2019)Troubleshooting Test Method Based on Industrial Control Grammar Model2019 IEEE International Conference on Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) and IEEE International Conference on Embedded and Ubiquitous Computing (EUC)10.1109/CSE/EUC.2019.00082(404-409)Online publication date: Aug-2019
https://doi.org/10.1109/CSE/EUC.2019.00082
Adelsberger SSetzer AWalkingshaw E(2018)Developing GUI Applications in a Verified SettingDependable Software Engineering. Theories, Tools, and Applications10.1007/978-3-319-99933-3_6(89-107)Online publication date: 26-Aug-2018
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99933-3_6
Kim RKwon HYoon W(2013)Event-Driven Notation and Hierarchical Automata Semantics for Incremental Task ModelingIFAC Proceedings Volumes10.3182/20130811-5-US-2037.0009246:15(16-23)Online publication date: 2013
https://doi.org/10.3182/20130811-5-US-2037.00092
Sinnig DChalin PKhendek F(2013)Use case and task modelsACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology10.1145/2491509.249152122:3(1-31)Online publication date: 30-Jul-2013
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2491509.2491521
Simko VHnetynka PBures TPlasil F(2012)FOAMProceedings of the 2012 38th Euromicro Conference on Software Engineering and Advanced Applications10.1109/SEAA.2012.15(228-232)Online publication date: 5-Sep-2012
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1109/SEAA.2012.15

View Options

View options

PDF

View or Download as a PDF file.

eReader

View online with eReader.

Login options

Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution to get full access on this article.

Full Access

Get this Article

Figures

Tables

Media

View Issue’s Table of Contents