VILNIUS GEDIMINAS TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY Rūta DUBAUSKAITĖ RESEARCH ON CONSISTENCY CHECKING OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS MODELS OF THE INFORMATION SYSTEM DOCTORAL DISSERTATION TECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES, INFORMATICS ENGINEERING (07T) Vilnius 2012 Doctoral dissertation was prepared at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University in 2008–2012. Scientific Supervisor Prof Dr Olegas VASILECAS (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Technological Sciences, Informatics Engineering – 07T). Consultant – įrašoma, jeigu reikia Assoc Prof Dr Name SURNAME (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Technolo- gical Sciences, Electrical and Electronic Engineering – 01T). VGTU leidyklos TECHNIKA 2022-M mokslo literatūros knyga http://leidykla.vgtu.lt ISBN 978-609-457-298-2 © VGTU leidykla TECHNIKA, 2012 © Rūta Dubauskaitė, 2012 [email protected] VILNIAUS GEDIMINO TECHNIKOS UNIVERSITETAS Rūta DUBAUSKAITĖ INFORMACINĖS SISTEMOS SKIRTINGŲ ASPEKTŲ MODELIŲ DARNOS TIKRINIMO TYRIMAS DAKTARO DISERTACIJA TECHNOLOGIJOS MOKSLAI, INFORMATIKOS INŽINERIJA (07T) Vilnius 2012 Disertacija rengta 2008–2012 metais Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universi- tete. (Disertacija ginama eksternu.) – įrašoma, jeigu reikia Mokslinis vadovas (eksternui – Mokslinis konsultantas) prof. dr. Olegas VASILECAS (Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universitetas, tech- nologijos mokslai, informatikos inžinerija – 07T). Konsultantas – įrašoma, jeigu buvo skirtas doc. dr. Vardas PAVARDĖ (Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universitetas, technologijos mokslai, elektros ir elektronikos inžinerija – 01T). Abstract Modelling of information systems (IS) involves development of different models that present various aspects of a system. Expression of an IS through various models is related to the problem of ensuring consistency of different models, which is very important for IS design, models transformation and finally IS pro- gram code generation tasks. In order to improve ensuring consistency of IS models in a design phase, a method of checking consistency of IS models is pro- posed. The method is based on rules among different aspects models defined for the metamodel. It also includes requirements for consistency rules. Assigning an enforcement level and verification of rules according to the metamodel of a modelling language are the most important ones. The dissertation consists of these main parts: introduction, review of the re- lated researches, our proposal, experiments and conclusions. Chapter 1 presents the analysis of publications related with the problem of this thesis. Therefore, the concept of consistency of IS models is analysed; speci- fications of IDEF and UML, object-oriented modelling methods and design tools are analysed from the perspective of ensuring consistency. Special methods of models checking and their consistency rules are also researched. According to the results obtained during the analysis conclusions are drawn, and the tasks for the dissertation are reconsidered. Chapter 2 describes the author’s of thesis proposed method of checking consistency of IS different aspects models, paying special attention to the re- quirements for consistency rules. A method of consistency checking of IS differ- ent aspects models not related with a specific modelling language was proposed. It is also specialised for UML models. The processes of ensuring consistency and approach of evaluating consistency are proposed. The Z notation is used to formalise the method. In Chapter 3 the experiments aimed at the evaluation of the proposed method are described. The proposed requirements for consistency rules are evaluated using a questionnaire, and the collected data are processed applying a paired t-test method. The proposed method is also implemented in a software prototype for MagicDraw UML tool. The thesis is finished with general conclusions on the accomplished re- search. The results of the dissertation are published in 12 scientific articles. 5 arti- cles are in the reviewed scientific periodical publications and 7 articles are in other scientific editions. 1 article is accepted for publication in other scientific editions. 10 presentations on the subject have been given in conferences at the national and international level. v Reziumė Projektuodami informacinę sistemą sukuriame skirtingus modelius pagal duo- menų, procesų ir kitus aspektus. Šiuo atveju yra rizika, kad sistemos specifikaci- joje bus darnos pažeidimų dėl tarpusavyje nesuderintų modelių. Darnūs ir ne- prieštaringi modeliai yra reikalingi tolesniam pradinių modelių transformavimui ir galiausiai IS programinio kodo generavimui. Siekiant pagerinti modelių darną projektavimo fazėje, disertacijoje yra pasiūlytas IS skirtingų aspektų modelių darnos tikrinimo metodas. Siūlomas metodas yra grindžiamas taisyklėmis tarp skirtingų aspektų modelių. Taisyklės apibrėžiamos modeliavimo kalbos meta- modelio lygmenyje. Siūlomas metodas taip pat apima darnos taisyklių reikala- vimus. Svarbiausi iš jų yra vykdymo lygmens priskyrimas taisyklėms ir taisyklių verfikavimas pagal modeliavimo kalbos metamodelį. Pagrindinės disertacijos dalys yra: įvadas, 3 skyriai ir išvados. Pirmasis skyrius skirtas susijusios literatūros apžvalgai. Jame pateikta dar- nos (angl. consistency ) sąvokos analizė, pristatyta IDEF ir UML specifikacijų, objektinių modeliavimo metodų ir projektavimo įrankių analizė darnos požiūriu. Šiame skyriuje taip pat yra analizuojami specialūs modelių tikrinimo metodai ir juose naudojamos darnos taisyklės. Skyriaus pabaigoje formuluojamos išvados ir tikslinami disertacijos uždaviniai. Antrajame skyriuje pristatomas IS skirtingų aspektų modelių darnos tikri- nimo metodas, ypatingas dėmesys skiriamas darnos taisyklių reikalavimams. Sukurtas darnos tikrinimo metodas nepriklausomas nuo konkrečios modeliavimo kalbos. Jo pritaikomumas iliustruotas specializuojant pasiūlytą metodai UML modelių darnai tikrinti. Darbe pateikiami siūlomi darnos taisyklių reikalavimai, darnos užtikrinimo procesų detalūs aprašymai bei darnos įvertinimo būdas. Z notacija naudojama siūlomam metodui formalizuoti. Trečiajame skyriuje pateikiami eksperimentų, skirtų įvertinti darnos tikri- nimo metodą, rezultatai. Pasiūlyti darnos taisyklių reikalavimai įvertinti naudo- jant klausimyną ir surinkti duomenys apdoroti naudojant paired t-test metodą. Pasiūlyto metodo įgyvendinamumas taip pat iliustruotas sukuriant siūlomo me- todo programinės įrangos prototipą, skirtą MagicDraw UML įrankiui. Darbas baigiamas išvadomis apie atliktą tyrimą. Disertacijos tema paskelbta 12 mokslinių straipsnių, iš jų 5 periodiniuose recenzuojamuose žurnaluose, 7 kituose leidiniuose. 1 straipsnis yra priimtas spausdinti į recenzuojamą tarptautinės konferencijos leidinį. Atliktų tyrimų re- zultatai pristatyti 10-yje konferencijų vykusių užsienyje ir Lietuvoje. vi Notations Abbreviations BS – Business System; CMOF – Complete MOF; CPN – Colored Petri Net; CSP – Communicating Sequential Processes; DL – Description Logic; EMOF – Essential MOF; IDEF – Integrated DEFinition language; IS – Information System; YSM – Yourdon System Methodology; MCC – Model Consistency Checker; MDA – Model Driven Architecture; MOF – Meta Object Facility; OCL – Object Constraint Language; OCLE – OCL Environment; OMG – Object Management Group; OMT – Object Modelling Technique; OO – Object-Oriented; vii OOAD – Object-Oriented Analysis and Design; OOM – Object-Oriented Model; OOSE – Object-Oriented Software Engineering; ORM – Object Role Modelling; OWL-DL – Ontology Web Language; RIDE – Rule-based Inconsistency Detection Engine; RUP – Rational Unified Process; SS – Software System; STRADIS – Structured Analysis and Design of Information System; UML – Unified Modelling Language; USE – UML Specification Environment; VBScript – Visual Basic Script. Terms Aspect is a projection into a model, which is seen from a given perspective. Aspect model means elements that can be visualised by several the same aspect dia- grams (adopted from (Querlat, Teniente 2008)). Backward chaining (or backward reasoning) is an inference method that can be de- scribed as working backward from the goal(s). Backward chaining systems usually em- ploy a depth-first search strategy (Russel, Norvig 2010). Checking of a model is a process that determines if the model is syntactically correct or/and adequate to the reality (the term is adopted from (Pakalnickiene, Nemuraite 2007)). Classifier is a classification of instances; it describes a set of instances that have features in common. Classifier is an abstract metaclass. E.g. A class is a classifier of objects; an association is a classifier of links. Consistency of IS models means that the structures, features and elements that appear in one aspect model are compatible and in alignment with the content of other aspect mod- els (adopted from (Rozanski, Woods 2005)). Consistency rule is a constraint among different aspects models. Diagram is a view of the information contained in a model (Rational 2003). Forward chaining is one of the two main methods of reasoning when using inference rules . Forward chaining starts with the available data and uses inference rules to extract more data (from an end user, for example) until a goal is achieved. Inference is the process which from one or more propositions formulates another propo- sition (Andress 2012). Invariant for the metaclass is a rule that must be satisfied by all instances of that meta- class of the model (the term is adopted from (OMG 2010)). Model is an abstraction of the physical system, with a certain purpose. Thus the model completely describes those aspects of