| dc.description.abstract | Software evolution refers to continuous change that a software system endures from inception to retirement. Each change must be efficiently and tractably propagated across models representing the system at different levels of abstraction. Model synchronization activities needed to support the systematic specification and analysis of evolution activities are still not adequately identified and formally defined.
In our research, we first introduce a formal notation for the representation of domain models and model instances to form the theoretical basis for the proposed model synchronization framework. Besides conforming to a generic MOF metamodel, we consider that each software model also relates to an application domain context (e.g., operating systems,
web services). Therefore, we are addressing the problems of model synchronization by focusing on domain-specific contexts.
Secondly, we identify and formally define model dependencies that are needed to trace and propagate changes across system models at different levels of abstraction, such as from design to source code. The approach for extraction of these dependencies is based on Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) algorithms. We further model identified dependencies
using Unified Modeling Language (UML) profiles and constraints, and utilize the extracted dependency relations in the context of coarse-grained model synchronization.
Thirdly, we introduce modeling semantics that allow for more complex profile-based dependencies using Triple Graph Grammar (TGG) rules with corresponding Object Constraint Language (OCL) constraints. The TGG semantics provide for fine-grained model synchronization, and enable compliance with the Query/View/Transformation (QVT) standards.
The introduced framework is assessed on a large, industrial case study of the IBM Commerce system. The dependency extraction framework is applied to repositories of business process models and related source code. The extracted dependencies were evaluated by IBM developers, and the corresponding precision and recall values calculated with results
that match the scope and goals of the research. The grammar-based model synchronization and dependency modelling using profiles has also been applied to the IBM Commerce system, and evaluated by the developers and architects involved in development of the system. The results of this experiment have been found to be valuable by stakeholders, and a patent
codifying the results has been filed by the IBM organization and has been granted. Finally, the results of this experiment have been formalized as TGG rules, and used in the context of fine-grained model synchronization. | en |
