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  Projet Triskell  
 

Requirements to Analysis platform

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A model-driven requirements engineering platform

Overview


The R2A platform is developed using a MDE approach. The core of the platform is a metamodel that defines the necessary concepts to capture functional requirements, as well as some extra-functional properties such as time constraints and data structure. In MDE, it is possible to define operations in the metamodels which allow simulating the models that instantiate a metamodel. This faciliy provides a convenient way for simulating functional requirements.

Requirements to Analysis Platform
An overview of the requirements to analysis platform

Based on the core metamodel, we have developed several transformations to feed the platform and to export models from the platform. Input requirements can be provided either in a textual form using the Requirements Description Language (RDL) or with activity diagrams. Two dedicated transformations allow to build the core R2A model corresponding to these different inputs. Any other existing formalisms can be used as input, provided that the transformation from the input to the core R2A metamodel is provided. Available export transformations include the generation of system test cases and the generation of a transition system that can be used as an input by a model-checker.

R2A functionalities allow:

  • Checking the consistency and the completeness of the requirements. The functional requirements can be simulated. This provides feedback to the requirements engineer about the specification ambiguities or incompleteness. Moreover, the platform can delegate parts of the analysis to a model-checker to check the time constraints.
  • Generating system test scenarii that will be used to check that the implementation correctly meets the requirements.
  • Deriving an initial model from which it is possible to derive a high-level analysis model that will serve as the starting point for the development. These models are a use case model and a business model. Currently, scenarii have to be produced manually by the analyst based on these initial business and use case models.

Publications

  • C. Nebut, F. Fleurey, Y. Le Traon, and J-M. Jézéquel. -- Automatic test generation: A use case driven approach. -- IEEE Trans. on Software Engineering, 32(3):140--155, March 2006.
  • C. Nebut, B. B., S. Kamoun, and W.A. Saeed. Multi-Language support for Model-Driven Requirement Analysis and Test Generation. In Proceedings of IMDT workshop in conjunction with ECMDA'06, 2006. Bilbao, Spain.

Required environment

  • The R2A platform is developed using Kermeta, a model-oriented framework. As a consequence, the R2A prototype requires the Kermeta environment to be installed.
  • The import of textual requirements descriptions (such as RDL specifications) into the MDE environment relies onto the Sintaks tool. Sintaks is a model-based generic parser/pretty printer that can be deployed along with the Kermeta framework.