Pattern-Oriented Transformations between Analysis and Design Models (POTAD)
Gabriel Schwefer · Common Library Network (Der Gemeinsame Bibliotheksverbund) · 2008
One answer to many current challenges in the electronic domain of automotive development, is a continuous model-based engineering process that integrates models of system and software development. A system model describes by the use of the logical system architecture the func-tions of a vehicle and through the technical system architecture the realising electronics, such as control units, sensors/actuators and data busses. During software development, a software design model for selected functions of the logical system architecture must be constructed with consideration of the technical architecture and further requirements. Current model-based development approaches claim to automate the transition between different development phases by the concept of model transformations. This concept lends itself to generate a skele-ton of the software design model from the system architecture model, thereby automating a part of the software engineering activities. The analysis of this work shows that the collected domain specific requirements, which must be made on a model transformation mechanism for such a scenario, are not fulfilled by current approaches. The approach taken in this work, the Pattern-Oriented Transformations between Analysis and Designmodels (POTAD) uses the system architecture as an analysis model within software development and systemizes the connection with the design model on the basis of analysis and design patterns. By means of this systematisation, a POTAD transformation rule instantiates for an analysis pattern different design patterns under consideration of non-functional requirements and the technical system architecture. At the same time, links between an analysis and design pattern are created, which are used to trace design decision later. The feasibility of the solution is shown by a prototype, which follows the POTAD development process and executes the transformation rules formulated in the POTAD transformation lan-guage.POTAD was verified by several student works based on a case study, which covers typical characteristics of the examined domain. The results of these works showed the suitability and improved the methodology as well as the transformation language and pointed out the limits of the approach taken.