A Model-Driven Approach to Scenario-Based Requirements Engineering

A model-driven approach to scenario-based requirements engineering is proposed. The approach, which is based on Computer Automated Multi-Paradigm Modeling (CAMPaM), aims to improve the software process. A framework is given and implemented to reason about models of systems at multiple levels of abstraction, to transform between models in different formalisms, and to provide and evolve modeling formalisms. The model-driven approach starts with modeling requirements of a system in scenario models and the subsequent automatic transformation to state-based behavior models. Then, either code can be synthesized or models can be further transformed into models with additional information such as explicit timing information or interactions between components. These models, together with the inputs (e.g., queries, performance metrics, test cases, etc.) generated directly from the scenario models, can be used for a variety of purposes, such as verification, analysis, simulation, animation and so on. A visual modeling environment is built in AToM using Meta-Modeling and Model Transformation. It supports modeling in Sequence Diagrams, automatic transformation to Statecharts, and automatic generation of requirements text from Sequence Diagrams. An application of the model-driven approach to the assessment of use cases for dependable systems is shown.