SUMLOW: early design‐stage sketching of UML diagrams on an E‐whiteboard

Most visual diagramming tools provide point‐and‐click construction of computer‐drawn diagram elements using a conventional desktop computer and mouse. SUMLOW is a unified modelling language (UML) diagramming tool that uses an electronic whiteboard (E‐whiteboard) and sketching‐based user interface to support collaborative software design. SUMLOW allows designers to sketch UML constructs, mixing different UML diagram elements, diagram annotations, and hand‐drawn text. A key novelty of the tool is the preservation of hand‐drawn diagrams and support for manipulation of these sketches using pen‐based actions. Sketched diagrams can be automatically ‘formalized’ into computer‐recognized and ‐drawn UML diagrams and then exported to a third party CASE tool for further extension and use. We describe the motivation for SUMLOW, illustrate the use of the tool to sketch various UML diagram types, describe its key architecture abstractions and implementation approaches, and report on two evaluations of the toolset. We hope that our experiences will be useful for others developing sketching‐based design tools or those looking to leverage pen‐based interfaces in software applications. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Extending Design Environments to Software Architecture Design

Designing a complex software system is a cognitively challenging task; thus, designers need cognitive support to create good designs. Domain-oriented design environments are cooperative problem-solving systems that support designers in complex design tasks. In this paper we present the architecture and facilities of Argo, a domain-oriented design environment for software architecture. Argo's own architecture is motivated by the desire to achieve reuse and extensibility of the design environment. It separates domain-neutral code from domain-oriented code, which is distributed among active design materials as opposed to being centralized in the design environment. Argo's facilities are motivated by the observed cognitive needs of designers. These facilities extend previous work in design environments by enhancing support for reflection-in-action, and adding new support for opportunistic design and comprehension and problem solving.     

Supporting task-oriented modeling using interactive UML views

The UML is a collection of 13 diagram notations to describe different views of a software system. The existing diagram types display model elements and their relations. Software engineering is becoming more and more model-centric, such that software engineers start using UML models for more tasks than just describing the system. Tasks such as analysis or prediction of system properties require additional information such as metrics of the UML model or from external sources, e.g. a version control system. In this paper we identify tasks of model-centric software engineering and information that is required to fulfill these tasks. We propose views to visualize the information to support fulfilling the tasks. This paper reports on a large-scale controlled experiment to validate the usefulness of the proposed views that are implemented in our MetricView Evolution tool. The results of the experiment with 100 participants are statistically significant and show that the correctness of comprehension is improved by 4.5% and that the time needed is reduced by 20%.     

Validating timed UML models by simulation and verification

This paper presents a technique and a tool for model-checking operational (design level) UML models based on a mapping to a model of communicating extended timed automata. The target language of the mapping is the IF format, for which existing model-checking and simulation tools can be used. Our approach takes into consideration most of the structural and behavioural features of UML, including object-oriented aspects. It handles the combination of operations, state machines, inheritance and polymorphism, with a particular semantic profile for communication and concurrency. We adopt a UML profile that includes extensions for expressing timing. The breadth of concepts covered by our mapping is an important point, as many previous approaches for applying formal validation to UML put much stronger limitations on the considered models. For expressing properties about models, a formalism called UML observers is defined in this paper. Observers reuse existing concepts like classes and state machines, and they allow expressing a significant class of linear temporal properties. The approach is implemented in a tool that imports UML models from an XMI repository, thus supporting several editors like Rational Rose, Rhapsody or Argo. The generated IF models may be simulated and verified via an interface that presents feedback in the vocabulary of the original UML model. This work has been partially supported by the OMEGA European Project (IST-33522). See also http://www-omega.imag.fr     

基于UML的图形用户界面交互行为的设计

在用户界面设计中存在大量的用户与界面之间的动态交互。传统的软件工程方法对用户界面交互行为设计的支持较少,使得用户界面难以设计,造成用户界面在设计时被忽略而由实现人员在编码时去把握。UML为设计人员提供了各种灵活的设计工具用于描述界面控件的动态行为,将用户界面设计与应用业务设计有效地融合起来提供并提高了设计与实现的一致性和完整性。     

The impact of UML documentation on software maintenance: an experimental evaluation

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is becoming the de facto standard for software analysis and design modeling. However, there is still significant resistance to model-driven development in many software organizations because it is perceived to be expensive and not necessarily cost-effective. Hence, it is important to investigate the benefits obtained from modeling. As a first step in this direction, this paper reports on controlled experiments, spanning two locations, that investigate the impact of UML documentation on software maintenance. Results show that, for complex tasks and past a certain learning curve, the availability of UML documentation may result in significant improvements in the functional correctness of changes as well as the quality of their design. However, there does not seem to be any saving of time. For simpler tasks, the time needed to update the UML documentation may be substantial compared with the potential benefits, thus motivating the need for UML tools with better support for software maintenance.     

利用UML映射工具实现系统可靠性建模

许多可靠性建模技术是基于可靠性框图、故障树、Markov链等表示方法,但系统架构师、产品经理和软件开发者往往对这些表示方法不太熟悉,他们通常使用统一建模语言(UML)来对系统进行描述,因此系统设计者不得不面对设计过程与可靠性建模间的缺陷。为了弥补这一缺陷,本文提出了一个利用UML映射工具实现可靠性建模的方法,同时以实际的例子演示了该方法的可行性。     

UML在设计模式描述中的应用

设计模式主要用于描述在软件设计过程中不断重复发生的问题以及这些问题的解决方案。UML是一种直观化、明确化、构件和文档化软件系统的通用可视化建模语言。详细介绍了使用UML的各种图形描述设计模式的方法及特点，并通过实例说明了UML在设计模式描述中的优势。     

GUIDE: Games with UML for interactive design exploration

In this paper we present our design tool GUIDE, which allows the user to explore a design in UML interactively by playing a game. The game incorporates both the design model and a specification of what it means for the design to be correct. The central idea of this approach is that the designer can increment the game during a play and gradually add more detail to it. Specification and design are refined by repeated plays of the game. The designer stops playing when design and specification are detailed enough for his purpose and match each other. The interactive game approach helps to cope with incompleteness and informal definition of UML models, which make strictly formal verification techniques difficult. The designer may resolve these problems when they arise during a play or let the GUIDE tool determine how the play should proceed. We discuss the potential impact of GUIDE and tools like it on software development.     

Towards useful and usable interaction design tools: CanonSketch

Despite all the effort dedicated to bringing better User-Centered Design (UCD) tools to market, current studies show that the industry is still dominated by tools that do not support the activities and workstyles of designers. Also, there is a growing need for interaction design tools aimed at software engineers, a problem related to bringing usability into the software engineering processes.

We propose a new workstyle model that can be effectively used to envision, design and evaluate a new generation of innovative interaction and software design tools, aimed at integrating usability and software engineering.

We illustrate the effectiveness of our model by describing a new tool, called CanonSketch, that was built in order to support UCD in terms of the dimensions in our workstyle model. We also describe an evaluation study aimed at contrasting paper prototyping with our tool as well as the level of workstyle support.     

Performance analysis of security aspects by weaving scenarios extracted from UML models

Aspect-oriented modeling (AOM) allows software designers to describe features that address pervasive concerns separately as aspects, and to systematically incorporate the features into a design model using model composition techniques. The goal of this paper is to analyze the performance effects of different security features that may be represented as aspect models. This is part of a larger research effort to integrate methodologies and tools for the analysis of security and performance properties early in the software development process. In this paper, we describe an extension to the AOM approach that provides support for performance analysis. We use the performance analysis techniques developed previously in the PUMA project, which take as input UML models annotated with the standard UML Profile for Schedulability, Performance and Time (SPT), and transform them first into Core Scenario Model (CSM), and then into different performance models. The composition of the aspects with the primary (base) model is performed at the CSM level. A new formal definition of CSM properties and operations is described as a foundation for scenario-based weaving. The proposed approach is illustrated with an example that utilizes two standards, TPC-W and SSL.     

A generic framework for modeling resources with UML

Current wisdom encourages designers to first focus on the logical aspects of their problem and then defer platform and technology issues until the concluding phases of development. This behavior is reasonable, considering that devising logically sound solutions is frequently the most difficult aspect of development. Unfortunately-and this has been understated to date-there are many situations in which this approach is inappropriate. Real-time software design is one domain where this situation is particularly obvious because the domain's requirements force software to interact with the physical world in some way. Recently, a generic object oriented framework has been proposed for modeling both physical and logical resources. Although the framework is generic, it is mainly used with the industry-standard Unified Modeling Language (UML). By providing a standard means for representing resources and their attributes, it becomes possible to seamlessly transfer UML models of real-time systems between design and specialized analysis tools. The author shows how developers can use the OMG's UML to model resources and thus predict crucial system properties before fully implementing a system     

Timing consistency checking for UML/MARTE behavioral models

UML/MARTE model-driven development approaches are gaining attention in developing real-time embedded software (RTES). UML behavioral models with MARTE annotations are used to describe timing behaviors and timing characteristics of RTES. Particularly, state machine, sequence, and timing diagrams with MARTE annotations are appropriate to understand and analyze timing behaviors of RTES. However, to guarantee software correctness and safety, timing inconsistencies in UML/MARTE should be identified in the design phase of RTES. UML/MARTE timing inconsistencies are related to modeling errors and can be hazards throughout the lifecycle of RTES. We propose a systematic approach to check timing consistency of state machine, sequence, and timing diagrams with MARTE annotations for RTES. First, we present how state machine, sequence, and timing diagrams with MARTE annotations specify the behaviors of RTES. To overcome informal semantics of UML/MARTE models, we provide formal definitions of state machine, sequence, and timing diagrams with MARTE annotations. Second, we present the timing consistency checking approach that consists of a rule-based and a model checking-based timing consistency checking. In the rule-based timing consistency checking, we validate well formedness of UML/MARTE behavioral models in timing aspects. In the model checking-based timing consistency checking, we verify whether timing behaviors of sequence and timing diagrams with MARTE annotations are consistent with the timing behaviors of state machine diagrams with MARTE annotations. We support an automated timing consistency checking tool UML/MARTE timing Consistency Analyzer for a seamless approach. We demonstrate the effectiveness and the practicality of the proposed approach by two case studies using cruise control system software and guidance and control unit software.     

Validation and automatic test generation on UML models: the AGATHA approach

The related economic goals of test generation are quite important for software industry. Manufacturers ever seeking to increase their productivity need to avoid malfunctions at the time of system specification: the later the defaults are detected, the greater the cost is. Consequently, the development of techniques and tools able to efficiently support engineers who are in charge of elaborating the specification constitutes a major challenge whose fallout concerns not only sectors of critical applications but also all those where poor conception could be extremely harmful to the brand image of a product.This article describes the design and implementation of a set of tools allowing software developers to validate UML (the Unified Modeling Language) specifications. This toolset belongs to the AGATHA environment, which is an automated test generator, developed at CEA/LIST.The AGATHA toolset is designed to validate specifications of communicating concurrent units described using an EIOLTS formalism (Extended Input Output Labeled Transition System). The goal of the work described in this paper is to provide an interface between UML and an EIOLTS formalism giving the possibility to use AGATHA on UML specifications.In this paper we describe first the translation of UML models into the EIOLTS formalism, and the translation of the results of the behavior analysis, provided by AGATHA, back into UML. Then we present the AGATHA toolset; we particularly focus on how AGATHA overcomes several problems of combinatorial explosion. We expose the concept of symbolic calculus and detection of redundant paths, which are the main principles of AGATHA's kernel. This kernel properly computes all the symbolic behaviors of a system specified in EIOLTS and automatically generates tests by way of constraint solving. Eventually we apply our method to an example and explain the different results that are computed.     

Automating regression test selection based on UML designs

This paper presents a methodology and tool to support test selection from regression test suites based on change analysis in object-oriented designs. We assume that designs are represented using the Unified Modeling Language (UML) 2.0 and we propose a formal mapping between design changes and a classification of regression test cases into three categories: Reusable, Retestable, and Obsolete. We provide evidence of the feasibility of the methodology and its usefulness by using our prototype tool on an industrial case study and two student projects.     

基于UML的临床路径诊治系统的分析建模

临床路径诊治系统不同于一般的管理信息系统,在系统的实时性、可靠性、规范性等方面要求更高,许多传统的分析及设计工具已难以满足新要求,而UML是一种易于表达、功能强大的面向对象标准建模语言,它将逐渐成为面向对象软件系统分析设计的必备工具。文章以RationalRose作为UML建模的工具,主要通过用例图、活动图和时序图对“心脑血管疾病的临床路径诊治系统”进行描述。由于系统采用了UML建模技术,从而使得软件结构更加合理,提高了软件开发的效率。     

UML类图中面向非功能属性的描述和检验

为系统构建模型是软件开发中的一项关键活动.一个高质量的模型不仅要包含系统的功能属性,即系统能够做什么,同时还应包含系统的非功能属性,即系统的质量如何.目前,通用的建模方法和工具对功能属性建模支持良好,而对如何为非功能属性建模关注得不多,特别是如何将二者统一起来并对描述的非功能属性的有关性质进行检验.通过在UML类图中增加非功能属性标注和约束关系表等建模元素来扩展UML类图,使其能够描述非功能属性.在此基础上,又提供了对扩展UML类图中非功能属性的一致性和可满足性进行检验的方法.通过实例对上述的面向非功能属     

Implementing associations: UML 2.0 to Java 5

A significant current software engineering problem is the conceptual mismatch between the abstract concept of an association as found in modelling languages such as UML and the lower level expressive facilities available in object-oriented languages such as Java. This paper introduces some code generation patterns that aid the production of Java based implementations from UML models. The work is motivated by a project to construct model driven development tools in support of the construction of embedded systems. This involves the specification and implementation of a number of meta-models (or models of languages). Many current UML oriented tools provide code generation facilities, in particular the generation of object-oriented code from class diagrams. However, many of the more complex aspects of class diagrams, such as qualified associations are not supported. In addition, several concepts introduced in UML version 2.0 are also not supported.The aim of the work presented in this paper is to develop a number of code generation patterns that allow us to support the automatic generation of Java code from UML class diagrams that support these new and complex association concepts. These patterns significantly improve the code generation abilities of UML tools, providing a useful automation facility that bridges the gap between the concept of an association and lower level object-oriented programming languages.     

基于UML的CPN模型在软件测试中的应用

UML在被工业界广泛接受的同时也成为学术界遵循的一种标准建模语言。许多面向对象软件测试的研究都围绕UML模型开展。但UML模型属于半形式化模型,往往无法自动生成测试用例。将UML模型与Petri网相结合,能够弥补其数学支持的不足。文章给出了基于UML的CPN模型的测试框架和一个从UML模型构造CPN模型的算法,并根据该方法给出了自动化支持工具U2CPN的类图结构。     

Agent UML notation for multiagent system design

From the earliest days of multiagent system development, the need has existed for both a methodology and a modeling notation that assist in design. The agent UML community has responded by developing the AUML notation - a UML profile dedicated to agents that tries to simplify the transition from software engineering to multiagent system engineering. The idea behind AUML is to exploit UML extension capabilities such as stereotypes and constraints. AUML crystallizes a growing concern for agent-based modeling representations and lets designers move smoothly from software development to agent development.