Partial Behaviour Modelling: A Foundation for Incremental and Iterative Model-Based Software Engineering

Objective

Software systems are amenable to analysis through the construction of behaviour models. This corresponds to the traditional engineering approach to construction of complex systems. The advantage of using behaviour models to describe systems is that they are cheaper to develop than the actual system. Consequently, they can be analysed and mechanically checked for properties in order to detect design errors early in the development process and allow cheaper fixes. Although behaviour modelling and analysis has been shown to be successful in uncovering subtle requirements and design errors, adoption by practitioners has been slow. One of the reasons for this is that traditional approaches to behaviour models are required to be complete descriptions of the system behaviour up to some level of abstraction, i.e. the transition system is assumed to completely describe the system behaviour with respect to a fixed alphabet of actions. This completeness assumption is limiting in the context of software development process best practices which include iterative development, adoption of use-case and scenario-based techniques and viewpoint- or stakeholder-based analysis; practices which require modelling and analysis in the presence of partial information about system behaviour. This aim of this project is to shift the focus from traditional behaviour models to partial behaviour models – operational descriptions that are capable of distinguishing known behaviour (both required and proscribed) from unknown behaviour that is yet to be elicited. Our overall aim is to develop the foundations, techniques and tools that will enable the automated construction of partial behaviour models from multiple sources of partial specifications, the provision of early feedback through automated partial behaviour model analysis, and the support incremental, iterative elaboration of behaviour models.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

• natural sciences computer and information sciences software software applications system software
• natural sciences computer and information sciences software software development

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

• Behaviour Modelling
• Modal Transition Systems

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

• FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

• ERC-SG-PE5 - ERC Starting Grant - Materials and Synthesis

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

ERC-2007-StG
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant

Host institution

Beneficiaries (1)