Automatic Scenario Generation from a Multi-Dimensional Requirements Model

by
Jeremy Asbill

Advised by
Robert Kessler

Many languages and notations have been suggested and devised for use in requirements engineering. Less formal notations, such as scenarios and use cases, have proved to be more effective for elicitation, negotiation, and validation while more formal notations have proved more effective for requirements specification and analysis. The research to be presented in this poster session is concerned with improving the utility of formal notations with respect to elicitation, negotiation, and validation. Specifically, the research hypothesis states that it's possible to define a formal requirements model from which all concrete scenarios permitted by the model can be automatically generated. Automatic scenario generation allows the requirements engineer to effectively and intuitively present a formal requirements model to stakeholders thereby improving the ability to elicit, negotiate, and validate requirements. To facilitate scenario generation we are currently developing a tool. When operational, the tool will accept a multi-dimensional requirements specification and enable the user to construct and produce any scenario permitted by the specification. The specification is considered "multi-dimensional" because it is composed of three complementary components: (1) a data requirements component; (2) a required interactions component; and (3) a required states component. Each component is documented using UML to leverage commonly- used notations and to ease later transition to design. The data requirements component is documented using a combination of class and object models, the states component is documented using state machines, and the interactions component is documented using use cases. The requirements and design for the tool are driven by 2-3 examples, one of which, a meeting scheduler, has been proposed as a requirements engineering exemplar. The design of the tool is being validated using formal verification techniques. The combination of the requirements specification technique and the tool that processes allows the requirements engineer to leverage a more formal specification for analysis while benefiting from less formal scenarios for elicitation and negotiation without having to manually create both views of the requirements.