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dc.contributor.authorDietrich, David
dc.date.accessioned2013-09-26 16:40:08 (GMT)
dc.date.available2013-09-26 16:40:08 (GMT)
dc.date.issued2013-09-26T16:40:08Z
dc.date.submitted2013
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10012/7922
dc.description.abstractFeature-oriented requirements decompose a system's requirements into individual bundles of functionality called features, where each feature's behaviour can be expressed as a state-machine model. However, state machines are difficult to write; determining how to decompose behaviour into states is not obvious, different stakeholders will have different opinions on how to structure the state machine, and the state machines can easily become too complex. This thesis proposes a pattern for decomposing and structuring the model of a feature's behavioural requirements, based on modes of operation (e.g., Active, Inactive, Failed) that are common to features in multiple domains. Interestingly, the highest-level modes of the pattern can serve as a generic behavioural interface for all features that adhere to the pattern. The thesis proposes also several pattern extensions that provide guidance on how to structure the Active and Inactive behaviour of the feature. The pattern was applied to model the behavioural requirements of 21 automotive features that were specified in 7 production-grade requirements documents. The pattern was applicable to all 21 features, and the proposed generic feature interface was applicable to 50 out of 58 inter-feature references. A user study with 18 participants evaluated whether use of the pattern made it easier than otherwise to write state machines for features and whether feature state machines written with the help of the pattern are more readable than those written without the help of the pattern. The results of the study indicate that use of the pattern facilitates writing of feature state machines.en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherUniversity of Waterlooen
dc.subjectSoftware Requirementsen
dc.subjectSoftware Patternsen
dc.subjectFeature Interfaceen
dc.titleA Mode-Based Pattern for Feature Requirements, and a Generic Feature Interfaceen
dc.typeMaster Thesisen
dc.pendingfalseen
dc.subject.programComputer Science (Software Engineering)en
uws-etd.degree.departmentSchool of Computer Scienceen
uws-etd.degreeMaster of Mathematicsen
uws.typeOfResourceTexten
uws.peerReviewStatusUnrevieweden
uws.scholarLevelGraduateen


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