scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Author

Patrick Heymans

Bio: Patrick Heymans is an academic researcher from Université de Namur. The author has contributed to research in topics: Software product line & Feature model. The author has an hindex of 43, co-authored 189 publications receiving 6777 citations. Previous affiliations of Patrick Heymans include Lille University of Science and Technology & University of Luxembourg.


Papers
More filters
Proceedings ArticleDOI
11 Sep 2006
TL;DR: In this paper, a formal semantics for feature diagrams is defined at the free feature diagrams (FFD) level, which provides unambiguous definition for all the surveyed feature diagrams variants in one shot.
Abstract: Feature diagrams (FD) are a family of popular modelling languages used for engineering requirements in software product lines. FD were first introduced by Kang as part of the FODA (feature oriented domain analysis) method back in 1990, Since then, various extensions of FODA FD were devised to compensate for a purported ambiguity and lack of precision and expressiveness. However, they never received a proper formal semantics, which is the hallmark of precision and unambiguity as well as a prerequisite for efficient and safe tool automation, In this paper, we first survey FD variants. Subsequently, we generalize the various syntaxes through a generic construction called free feature diagrams (FFD). Formal semantics is defined at the FFD level, which provides unambiguous definition for ail the surveyed FD variants in one shot. All formalisation choices found a clear answer in the original FODA FD definition, which proved that although informal and scattered throughout many pages, it suffered no ambiguity problem. Our definition has several additional advantages: it is formal, concise and generic. We thus argue that it contributes to improve the definition, understanding, comparison and reliable implementation of FD languages

459 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that the expressively complete FDs fall into two succinctness classes, of which one is of course recommend the most succinct, and a new, simple one is suggested that is not harmfully redundant: Varied FD (VFD).

374 citations

Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 May 2010
TL;DR: This paper first extends transition systems with features in order to describe the combined behaviour of an entire system family, and defines and implements a model checking technique that allows to verify such transition systems against temporal properties.
Abstract: In product line engineering, systems are developed in families and differences between family members are expressed in terms of features. Formal modelling and verification is an important issue in this context as more and more critical systems are developed this way. Since the number of systems in a family can be exponential in the number of features, two major challenges are the scalable modelling and the efficient verification of system behaviour. Currently, the few attempts to address them fail to recognise the importance of features as a unit of difference, or do not offer means for automated verification. In this paper, we tackle those challenges at a fundamental level. We first extend transition systems with features in order to describe the combined behaviour of an entire system family. We then define and implement a model checking technique that allows to verify such transition systems against temporal properties. An empirical evaluation shows substantial gains over classical approaches.

359 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The paper is an attempt to explore some of the issues underlying scenario-based approaches in requirements engineering and to propose a framework for their classification, a four-dimensional framework which advocates that a scenario- based approach can be well defined by its form, content, purpose and life cycle.
Abstract: The requirements engineering, information systems and software engineering communities recently advocated scenario-based approaches which emphasise the user/system interaction perspective in developing computer systems. Use of examples, scenes, narrative descriptions of contexts, mock-ups and prototypes-all these ideas can be called scenario-based approaches, although exact definitions are not easy beyond stating that these approaches emphasise some description of the real world. Experience seems to tell us that people react to ‘real things’ and that this helps in clarifying requirements. Indeed, the widespread acceptance of prototyping in system development points to the effectiveness of scenario-based approaches. However, we have little understanding about how scenarios should be constructed, little hard evidence about their effectiveness and even less idea about why they work. The paper is an attempt to explore some of the issues underlying scenario-based approaches in requirements engineering and to propose a framework for their classification. The framework is a four-dimensional framework which advocates that a scenario-based approach can be well defined by itsform, content, purpose andlife cycle. Every dimension is itself multifaceted and a metric is associated with each facet. Motivations for developing the framework are threefold: (a) to help in understanding and clarifying existing scenario-based approaches; (b) to situate the industrial practice of scenarios; and (c) to assist researchers develop more innovative scenario-based approaches.

267 citations

Proceedings ArticleDOI
19 Nov 2007
TL;DR: This paper reuses an existing formalization of feature diagrams, but introduces a formalized version of orthogonal variability models (OVMs) that serves as a foundation for a tool supporting automated reasoning on variability.
Abstract: Feature diagrams are a popular means for documenting variability in software product line engineering. When examining feature diagrams in the literature and from industry, we observed that the same modelling concepts are used for documenting two different kinds of variability: (1) product line variability, which reflects decisions of product management on how the systems that belong to the product line should vary, and (2) software variability, which reflects the ability of the reusable product line artefacts to be customized or configured. To disambiguate the documentation of variability, we follow previous suggestions to relate orthogonal variability models (OVMs) to feature diagrams. This paper reuses an existing formalization of feature diagrams, but introduces a formalization of OVMs. Then, the relationships between the two kinds of models are formalized as well. Besides a precise definition of the languages and the links, the important benefit of this formalization is that it serves as a foundation for a tool supporting automated reasoning on variability. This tool can, e.g., analyse whether the product line artefacts are flexible enough to build all the systems that should belong to the product line.

260 citations


Cited by
More filters
Posted Content
TL;DR: Deming's theory of management based on the 14 Points for Management is described in Out of the Crisis, originally published in 1982 as mentioned in this paper, where he explains the principles of management transformation and how to apply them.
Abstract: According to W. Edwards Deming, American companies require nothing less than a transformation of management style and of governmental relations with industry. In Out of the Crisis, originally published in 1982, Deming offers a theory of management based on his famous 14 Points for Management. Management's failure to plan for the future, he claims, brings about loss of market, which brings about loss of jobs. Management must be judged not only by the quarterly dividend, but by innovative plans to stay in business, protect investment, ensure future dividends, and provide more jobs through improved product and service. In simple, direct language, he explains the principles of management transformation and how to apply them.

9,241 citations

Journal ArticleDOI

3,181 citations

Proceedings ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The paper compares the main approaches to goal modeling, goal specification and goal-based reasoning in the many activities of the requirements engineering process and suggests what a goal-oriented requirements engineering method may look like.
Abstract: Goals capture, at different levels of abstraction, the various objectives the system under consideration should achieve. Goal-oriented requirements engineering is concerned with the use of goals for eliciting, elaborating, structuring, specifying, analyzing, negotiating, documenting, and modifying requirements. This area has received increasing attention. The paper reviews various research efforts undertaken along this line of research. The arguments in favor of goal orientation are first briefly discussed. The paper then compares the main approaches to goal modeling, goal specification and goal-based reasoning in the many activities of the requirements engineering process. To make the discussion more concrete, a real case study is used to suggest what a goal-oriented requirements engineering method may look like. Experience, with such approaches and tool support are briefly discussed as well.

1,729 citations

01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: This paper presents a meta-modelling framework for modeling and testing the robustness of the modeled systems and some of the techniques used in this framework have been developed and tested in the field.
Abstract: ing WS1S Systems to Verify Parameterized Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Kai Baukus, Saddek Bensalem, Yassine Lakhnech and Karsten Stahl FMona: A Tool for Expressing Validation Techniques over Infinite State Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 J.-P. Bodeveix and M. Filali Transitive Closures of Regular Relations for Verifying Infinite-State Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Bengt Jonsson and Marcus Nilsson Diagnostic and Test Generation Using Static Analysis to Improve Automatic Test Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Marius Bozga, Jean-Claude Fernandez and Lucian Ghirvu Efficient Diagnostic Generation for Boolean Equation Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Radu Mateescu Efficient Model-Checking Compositional State Space Generation with Partial Order Reductions for Asynchronous Communicating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 Jean-Pierre Krimm and Laurent Mounier Checking for CFFD-Preorder with Tester Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Juhana Helovuo and Antti Valmari Fair Bisimulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299 Thomas A. Henzinger and Sriram K. Rajamani Integrating Low Level Symmetries into Reachability Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315 Karsten Schmidt Model-Checking Tools Model Checking Support for the ASM High-Level Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 Giuseppe Del Castillo and Kirsten Winter Table of

1,687 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
D. Moody1
TL;DR: A set of principles for designing cognitively effective visual notations: ones that are optimized for human communication and problem solving are defined, which form a design theory, called the Physics of Notations, which focuses on the physical properties of notations rather than their logical properties.
Abstract: Visual notations form an integral part of the language of software engineering (SE). Yet historically, SE researchers and notation designers have ignored or undervalued issues of visual representation. In evaluating and comparing notations, details of visual syntax are rarely discussed. In designing notations, the majority of effort is spent on semantics, with graphical conventions largely an afterthought. Typically, no design rationale, scientific or otherwise, is provided for visual representation choices. While SE has developed mature methods for evaluating and designing semantics, it lacks equivalent methods for visual syntax. This paper defines a set of principles for designing cognitively effective visual notations: ones that are optimized for human communication and problem solving. Together these form a design theory, called the Physics of Notations as it focuses on the physical (perceptual) properties of notations rather than their logical (semantic) properties. The principles were synthesized from theory and empirical evidence from a wide range of fields and rest on an explicit theory of how visual notations communicate. They can be used to evaluate, compare, and improve existing visual notations as well as to construct new ones. The paper identifies serious design flaws in some of the leading SE notations, together with practical suggestions for improving them. It also showcases some examples of visual notation design excellence from SE and other fields.

1,200 citations