Consistent specification of interface suites in UML

The paper motivates and describes a model oriented approach for consistent specification of interface suites in UML. An interface suite is a coherent collection of interfaces defining interactions that transcend component boundaries. The specification of interface suites contains diagrammatic views and documentation, but it is extended with templates for structured specifications deriving from the ISpec approach. To guarantee that the specification views, documentation and templates are consistent, a specification model has been constructed. The model contains both structural and behavioural information, represented in the form of sequences of carefully designed tuples. The model provides the underlying structure for the tool supporting the design process. The tool directs the designer to specify all elements of the model in a consistent way. The specification is collected both by customized specification templates and by diagrams. The documentation and the diagram elements – both derived from the template information – are automatically generated. This prevents errors and provides specification consistency. Initial submission: 15 February 2002 / Revised submission: 20 September 2002 Published online: 2 December 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Supported by PROGRESS grant EES.5141 and ITEA DESS grant IT990211.