Generating system documentation augmented with traceability information, using a central XML-based repository

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Elijah McCormick
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repository Master s thesis presentation Thomas U.

1 Generating system documentation augmented with traceability information, using a central XML-based repository Master s thesis presentation Thomas U. Kraus Department of Software Engineering Faculty of EEMCS

2 Context of the graduation project Documentation of a system is important: To understand a system for building, using, assessment, extending, making changes, etc. Both implementation and rationale Ensure a common understanding Prevent architectural erosion Some software systems start to look like the old city centre of Amsterdam Jeroen Douwes, June

3 Context of the graduation project (2) Documentation problems identified at Chess and its customers: Great number of loosely coupled documents No consistency checking of contents Only manual reuse possible Static documents 3

4 Context of the graduation project (3) System development cycle Various models of development strategies exist, e.g.: V-model Waterfall model Spiral model Common tasks in these strategies: Gathering requirements Creating high-level design / architecture Creating detailed design Implementing Testing 4

5 Context of the graduation project (4) Requirements traceability Degree to which a relationship can be established between two or more products of the development process Possibility to trace requirements to their corresponding design and implementation artefacts: Verify whether a system s design is actually based on the requirements Verify system is built as ordered (requirements met) 5

6 Contents The proposed solution: Forest Using Forest in practice Forest tools Prototype implementation Short demo Case studies Conclusions & recommendations 6

7 The proposed solution: Forest New approach to creating and maintaining documentation of any type of system Some concepts already available, some improved MS Word Forest Formal languages (current situation) More structure, strictness More free text 7

8 The proposed solution: Forest (2) Key concepts Information stored in structured repository (XML) Relations stored to enable tracing of requirements Repository contents separated from tools Perform analyses: coverage, cost/benefit, impact Automatic checks ensure consistency and completeness 8

9 The proposed solution: Forest (2) Key concepts (2) Personalized document generation, including system s state (result of tracing) Reuse of requirements, design, etc. Warnings and errors part of information model 9

10 The proposed solution (3) The Forest repository: structure 4 main elements: Requirement System (design) Atom (implementation) Delegation 8 additional elements: Extends Implements Source Target Title Description Motivation Image 10

11 Using Forest in practice 1. Define top-level system 2. Define requirements to this system 3. Define subsystems (and possibly atoms) 4. Delegate requirements to subsystems (or atoms) 5. Zoom in on one subsystem 6. Define new requirements (next to inherited ones) 7. Define subsystems (and possibly atoms) 8. Delegate requirements to subsystems (or atoms) 11

12 Using Forest in practice (2) An example Requirement: cooking a meal Atoms: fridge, oven, sink, etc. 12

13 Using Forest in practice (3) Forest enforces the user to specify design artefacts before requirements can be delegated The user is free to decide how the design is specified (amount of detail) Various development strategies are supported Anything that can be expressed in terms of systems can be documented using Forest, e.g.: A building A company hierarchy A software application 13

14 Forest tools Repository Editors Model Checker Document Generator Document Generator Editors Repository IDE Integration Additional navigation options Model Checker 14

15 Prototype implementation Core: parser/serializer, model, model checker Editors Requirements Document generator Editor Controllers Stand alone Eclipse plug-in Design Editor Document Generator Eclipse I/O Controller Forest Core Demonstrates key concepts Foundation for future research Command line Controller 15

16 Short demo 16

17 Case studies Case I: Documenting prototype using prototype Case II: Redocumenting part of real project done at Chess: a ticketing system of a theatre Setup: Problem description Evaluation criteria Case study details Results & conclusions 17

18 Conclusions New documentation approach is usable Status information in documents is useful Several important benefits: Coverage, cost / benefit, and impact analyses Warnings / errors on consistency & completeness Improved searchability & maintainability Assumption: repository is kept up to date Key to success: easy and well-integrated tools 18

19 Recommendations Documentation templates and query language Extensions Meta model Domain specific plug-ins for model checker Include testing in the tracing process Change management: delta files Reverse engineering Invest in easy-to-use and well-integrated tools 19

20 Using Forest......improves system documentation 20

SAS 9.2 Foundation Services. Administrator s Guide

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