Showing papers on "Viewpoints published in 1997"

Viewpoints: principles, problems and a practical approach to requirements engineering

Abstract: The paper includes a survey and discussion of viewpointdoriented approaches to requirements engineering and a presentation of new work in this area which has been designed with practical application in mind. We describe the benefits of viewpointdoriented requirements engineering and describe the strengths and weaknesses of a number of viewpointdoriented methods. We discuss the practical problems of introducing viewpointdoriented requirements engineering into industrial software engineering practice and why these have prevented the widespread use of existing approaches. We then introduce a new model of viewpoints called Preview. Preview viewpoints are flexible, generic entities which can be used in different ways and in different application domains. We describe the novel characteristics of the Preview viewpoints model and the associated processes of requirements discovery, analysis and negotiation. Finally, we discuss how well this approach addresses some outstanding problems in requirements engineering (RE) and the practical industrial problems of introducing new requirements engineering methods.

On cooperation in multi-agent systems

Abstract: Cooperation is often presented as one of the key concepts which differentiates multi-agent systems from other related disciplines such as distributed computing, object-oriented systems, and expert systems. However, it is a concept whose precise usage in agent-based systems is at best unclear and at worst highly inconsistent. Given the centrality of the issue, and the different ideological viewpoints on the subject, this was a lively panel which dealt with the following main issues.

In defense of traits.

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the theories and the viewpoints of personality. For a number of reasons, it is convenient to consider “personality” as the general psychology of individual differences. In attempting to account for individual differences, a variety of viewpoints must be brought to bear on a common subject matter. A viewpoint is an approach to the empirical study of personality that is based on assumptions concerning the importance of certain kinds of constructs. The term “viewpoint” is used instead of the term “method” to emphasize that methods involve constructs and that they impose constraints upon observations. The viewpoints of personality study are established in their own right because they represent traditional and respectable areas of psychological investigation— such as biological psychology, experimental psychology, social psychology, and psychometrics. A theory is an extended construct system of broad range and scope that typically attempts an integration of constructs from several viewpoints. A theory of personality achieves a certain prestige by emphasizing a particular viewpoint. The methods of the viewpoint cannot be substituted for the propositions of the theory. A theory can be discredited without discrediting the method that it espouses. The psychometric-trait viewpoint has recently been judged guilty in virtue of its association with certain personality theories.

Towards a Computer-Supported Cooperative Environment for Concurrent Engineering:

Abstract: Computer-supported cooperative work has been the focus of attention in a concurrent engineering environment for some time. This paper studies this cooperative team environment from three perspectives: (a) the infrastructure of communication and information model viewpoint; (b) the planning and control of workflow viewpoint, and (c) some implementation viewpoints Implementation viewpoints in- dude constraints' management, negotiation, and memory capture and management. A set of enabling technology in each perspective area and its rationale are discussed. Finally, a structure of the whole system environment including definitions of an architecture and a global user interface are introduced.

Method and system for providing preferred face views of objects in a three-dimensional (3D) environment in a display in a computer system

Abstract: A system and method for utilizing face viewpoints of objects in a 3D environment includes three aspects. In a first aspect, the system and method is directed to defining a plurality of optimized viewpoints of an object referred to hereinafter as face viewpoints. In a second aspect a method and system is disclosed that provides for a preferred face viewpoint of the plurality of face viewpoints. Finally, the third aspect provides for a system and method for determining a navigation path to the preferred face viewpoint.

The reflective colleague in e-mail cyberspace: a means for improving university instruction

Abstract: Two university academics living in countries on different sides of the world captured their e-mail communications during a ten-week teaching course. The power of e-mail over face-to-face conversation was explored as Nora, living in Oregon, U.S.A., contemplated her struggle to teach a new subject and Anne, living in Queensland, Australia, responded to Nora's introspections. As the terms coach and mentor did not represent the reciprocal nature of the interactions, the term reflective colleague was used to explain the mirror-like role. The reflective colleague provided: supportive affirmation, belief clarifications, alternative perspectives, and future and global projections. The role of e-mail in the process of journalizing together was non-hierarchical and became symmetrical in a short space of time. Both colleagues found value in exploring together the teaching of a new course. Benefits to Nora were: being heard, feeling support when things were difficult, getting new ideas and alternative viewpoints, and transforming the experience to one focusing on her own learning. Benefits to Anne were strengthening her own understandings of data she had previously collected as well as applying strategies discussed to her own teaching. The value of e-mail over other types of media or interpersonal interactions involved two paradoxes: it was rapid, yet allowed time for deep reflection, and it was spontaneous, yet permitted an accurate and permanent record, one that could be reviewed again and again. E-mail as a medium for reflective dialogue has considerable potential for use in improving university instruction.

Elements underlying the specification of requirements

Abstract: As more and more complex computerdbased systems are built, it becomes increasingly more difficult to specify or visualize the system prior to its construction One way of simplifying these tasks is to view the requirements from multiple viewpoints However, if these viewpoints examine the requirements using different notations, how can we know if they are consistentq This paper describes the elemental concepts that underlie all requirements By reducing each view of requirements to networks of these elemental concepts, it becomes possible to better understand the relationships among the views

On Conflicts between Genetic and Developmental Viewpoints — And Their Attempted Resolution in Molecular Biology

Abstract: This paper concerns the apparent rapprochement, now underway, between genetics and developmental biology.1 For there to be a rapprochement, of course, there must have been long-standing disagreements. The disagreements between embryology and genetics bear all the stigmata of a deep discordance between research traditions built on conflicting assumptions and practices. They have been discussed by many historians of science and shown to rest on conceptual and institutional differences, on differences in the experimental and field practices of geneticists and embryologists and on the distinctive behaviors of the biological materials they traditionally employed.’ Suffice to say that the disagreements were based in part on the absolute inability of geneticists to show how genes could account for the Bauplan of an organism and on their failure to give any weight to such phenomena as cytoplasmic gradients in the egg, polarities in the egg and the early embryo, cell death in organogenesis, and so on.3 These complaints against genetics were just and remain so, although that fact does not reveal whether they are biologically or philosophically important.

Introduction of Viewpoints in Conceptual Graph Formalism

Abstract: To represent knowledge in a context of several experts, it is interesting to model the multiple perspectives that different experts may have on the objects handled in their reasoning The concept of a particular perspective called viewpoint, is already used in the field of object oriented representation or in the field of databases conception Taking inspiration of research made in object oriented representation, we propose in this paper an extension of the conceptual graph formalism to integrate viewpoints in the support and in the building of conceptual graphs We also study mechanisms for managing viewpoints

Viewpoints 96: international workshop on multiple perspectives in software development (SIGSOFT 96) workshop report

Abstract: This report has been compiled by the workshop organisers. We have attempted to be fair and unbiased but probably failed! A short report cannot do justice to the discussion. You are best off reading the papers or talking to an attendee. What follows is definitely second best. The construction of a complex description or model in software development involves many agents (aka participants or actors). These agents have different perspectives or views of the artefact or system they are trying to describe or model (i.e., the domain of discourse), and the process of constructing it. Examples of such perspectives might be performance, security, architecture, and so on. These perspectives or views are partial and incomplete descriptions that arise because of different responsibilities or roles assigned to the agents. These responsibilities or roles may be organisationally defined, or follow some defined structuring of the underlying artifact, system or activity, or may reflect different modelling and descriptive capabilities. The combination of the agent and the view the agent holds is termed viewpoint. The Viewpoints 96 workshop may be seen as an attempt to establish a joint understanding of the critical issues in the study of viewpoints, which embraces the relations between views, between views and agents, and between agents. The workshop brought together the main international strands of relevant work in software engineering. It also attracted a few scientists from groups working on similar problems in areas outside software engineering including databases and multi-agent decision making. The proceedings of the workshop have been published by the ACM press and are also available from The workshop was articulated around the following themes: • nature of viewpoints ~z definitions • detection of inconsistencies 8z conflicts between viewpoints • resolution of inconsistencies & conflicts between item • special requirements of applications of viewpoints • representation of viewpoints • infrastructure required to support viewpoints • relations with other areas of computer science • issues and agenda for further research These themes were discussed in a sequence of sessions and these discussions are summsdsed below. Viewpoints are seen as a means for sepaxating concerns in software development in accordance with a variety of criteria, such as the interests and perspectives of agents, the development strategies and methods, the notations employed, or the services provided by the system to various parties (motivated by related work in the area of databases). This separation of concerns is useful to the …

Point-SE Education: We're on Our Own

Abstract: James Bach and Michael McCracken discuss whether software engineers can best learn the practice of software engineering in industry, via apprenticeship methods, or in universities, via formal education. Their contending viewpoints show the strengths of both environments and suggest synergistic ways in which they can interact.

Are We Unique?: A Scientist Explores the Unparalleled Intelligence of the Human Mind

Abstract: From the Publisher: A critically acclaimed and successful popular science author presents a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the latest scientific thinking about the controversial question: whether the human mind is unique or whether a machine could be built that would be as intelligent and "alive" as people are? Trefil offers a broad survey of prominent competing viewpoints, explaining each of the major arguments and tracing their evolution. What exactly human thinking is, how different human thinking is from animal thinking, and what makes people conscious are among the issues covered.

An idea generation support system for industrial designers (idea sketch processor)

Abstract: The paper presents a system for facilitating the industrial designer's divergent thinking process in which he often falls into his established thinking way and come to a dead end on the way of generating fresh ideas. The system uses two methods to free the designer from his own established way of thinking. The first method classifies the designer's idea sketches from different viewpoints, and finds new concepts from the intersections of the classified groups. The second method finds a meta-concept of the classifications to arrive at new classification concepts. The system has been used in several students' design projects and has produced good results.

Ways That Work: Putting Social Studies Standards into Practice

Abstract: Faced with recent state and national mandates, many veteran social studies teachers are now required to explore new content and achieve new goals-often without any guidance. New teachers are at an even greater disadvantage, wondering what exactly they are supposed to teach and how to go about it. In "Ways That Work," Tarry Lindquist provides some answers. "Ways That Work" is an idea book from start to finish, modeling several different ways social studies content can be organized in elementary and middle school classrooms. Each chapter: identifies a specific standard and a goal presents strategies to help you achieve the goal outlines how to put the strategies into place describes essential skills you can develop suggests ways you can incorporate other subject areas, especially language arts and literature presents proven assessment techniques concludes with a detailed bibliography of student books and references. Together, the chapters illustrate that there is no one way to teach social studies-that the magic of teaching social studies lies in the richness of the available content, the variety of strategies to choose from, and the diversity of viewpoints to explore. The value of "Ways That Work" increases as you make the strategies your own. Both preservice and inservice teachers will find it a source of fresh ideas for their classrooms.

Making the transition from clinician to manager.

Abstract: The entire program provides a beginning orientation for the transition into a manager's position The program focuses on basic skills and topics as well as provides the participant resources for continuing development It is anticipated that the thought processes and viewpoints of a manager emerge during the discussions of class content As the program evolves, other topics may be important to an agency The program can be adapted to suit specific groups of managers, such as those in specialty programs or those working in branch offices Ultimately, managers benefit from the interaction with others who encounter similar problems or concerns It is highly recommended that each new manager also receive a peer mentor within the agency to ease the transition

Making a space for women: student conferences as an example of feminist staff-student interaction in the university

Abstract: This paper addresses the question of how to integrate women's issues more fully into the academic curriculum which, because it remains male-dominated, discourages women students from finding their voice and asserting deviant perspectives. It argues strongly for providing feminist spaces within mainstream courses where women students and teachers can explore and celebrate their experiences and viewpoints. It suggests that these spaces can be created by means of student conferences, that is, conferences targeted at student audiences at which staff and students interact in non-hierarchical ways. The main body of this paper is a report on the specific example of two such conferences held in the German Department of the University of Leeds between 1993 and 1994.

Supplement: Genes and Society: Puzzles, Promises, and Policy

Abstract: This article is a summary of a conference organized by the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia on the topic of genetic research. The conference considered ramifications of applications of the research, including health-related decision making, discrimination against people with particular genetic makeups, and patents. Religious, ethical, and business viewpoints were discussed.

View based object oriented approach for complex system modelling

Abstract: The introduction of viewpoints in object-oriented environments provides a number of improvements in the modelling of complex systems, especially the use of a unique and flexible model instead of several independent sub-models. Many researchers are currently working on viewpoints in various fields of computer science, but existing approaches do not meet one's needs. The authors introduce a new relation-the visibility-and a language, called VBOOL, supporting the visibility and a set of associated mechanisms: view definition, viewpoint declaration, dynamic viewpoint evolution and consistency checking through repercussion of modifications. Their approach is illustrated by an object-oriented model of the Ariane4's vehicle equipment bay. This system has been modelled using the view based object oriented method, and simulated under Centaur.