- S. Niepostyn, Analysis and specification of consistency rules for UML diagrams, Proc. SPIE 11176, Photonics Applications in Astronomy, Communications, Industry, and High-Energy Physics Experiments 2019, 111761O (6 November 2019); doi: 10.1117/12.2536359
This paper presents a survey of consistency rules identified between UML diagrams. It bases on a representative collection of publications and author’s experience of developing original method of software architecture construction (e-CMDA). A new notation for consistency rules is introduced. It uses regular expressions combined with symbols of UML diagram elements and the introduced "projected" (custom) UML diagram symbols. This notation facilitates analysis and selection of appropriate consistency rules in software development at the architectural level.
- Niepostyn S., Proof of the Decrease in Entropy when Applying Consistency Rules in Software Architecture of IT Systems, Research Gate, May 2019
Since the birth of software architecture IT architects have combined various diagrams applying similar names for their elements. These constructions, now called consistency rules, introduce a vastly improved quality of software development and at the same time bring more information content to the software architecture of the system itself. It was mathematically proved that the application of consistency rules increases the information content of software architecture. The feelings about increasing readability and ordering of software architecture by means of consistency rules have their mathematical rationale. In this article it was carried out a proof of decreasing information entropy while applying consistency rules in the construction of software architecture of IT systems. Therefore, it has been shown that marking selected elements in different diagrams with similar names is therefore an implicit way to increase the information content of software architecture while simultaneously improving its orderliness and readability.
- Stanisław Jerzy Niepostyn, Automation of IT system design in a BPM environment using the UML FBS model, PhD dissertation, Wydział Elektroniki i Technik Informacyjnych, Instytut Informatyki Politechniki Warszawskiej, 2018
The following dissertation concerns the development of an improved method of complex computer systems design to be implemented in the environment of the object-oriented software, in particular within the BPM environment (Business Process Management) and using the Enhanced CMDA concept (shortly named e-CMDA, where CMDA denotes Consistent Model Driven Architecture). This method is composed of the following constituents: e-CMDA algorithm itself; a set of original 103 consistency rules described with the newly proposed simple and clear notation; and of the FBS (Functional-BehaviourStructure) based metric proposed by the author. It thus enables to automate design of the underlying software architecture while applying the consistency rules of UML diagram series. These diagrams applying the consistency rules and grouped into the four perspectives (context, business, system and implementation) together construct consistent and complete software architecture while starting from the business context diagram to the component diagram. Each view contains at least one aspect i.e. the relevant UML FBS model, which presents the visualization of the single use case from the first layer and the diagrams from the second layer of the same perspective mapped from this UC realisation diagram. The objective of the dissertation is to draw up an e-CMDA methodology allowing for quicker and more effective building of software architecture of complex computer systems from the initial business context diagram to the implementability diagrams while preserving consistency, completeness and transformability of key elements of software architecture description at every layer of software architecture construction by means of the objective calculation of entropy of UML diagrams. The IT systems produced along the e-CMDA are built up quicker, more productively, and less erroneous, what confirms that such architectures are particularly useful for agile development methods. This process can be supported by the developed tool.
- Niepostyn S.J., Tyrowicz A., Zastosowanie metryki FBS entropy-based do szacowania kompletności i spójności architektury oprogramowania złożonych systemów IT na przykładzie systemów publicznych pl.ID (Źródło) oraz e-IRZ ARiMR, TIAPISZ 2016
An improved method of complex computer systems design could be implemented in the environment of the object-oriented software, in particular in the BPM environment (Business Process Management) and using the Enhanced CMDA concept (shortly named e-CMDA, where CMDA denotes the Consistent Model Driven Architecture). Thus, it enables automating the design of the underlying software architecture while applying consistency rules of UML diagram series which are based on the calculation of entropy of UML diagrams using the FBS software architecture metric. IT systems produced along the e-CMDA are built up quicker, more productively, and less erroneous, which makes such architectures particularly useful for agile development methods. The methodology of e-CMDA facilitates direct comparison from the implementability assessments of different software architectures by means of objective calculation of consistency, completeness and transformability of diagrams.
- Niepostyn Stanisław Jerzy, Entropy-based consistent model driven architecture, w Proc. SPIE. 10031, Photonics Applications in Astronomy, Communications, Industry, and High-Energy Physics Experiments/ Romaniuk Ryszard ( red. ), vol. 10031, 2016, SPIE , ISBN 9781510604858, [781510604865 (electronic) ], 1170 s., DOI:10.1117/12.2257157
A description of software architecture is a plan of the IT system construction, therefore any architecture gaps are affect the overall success of an entire project. The definitions mostly describe software architecture as a set of views which are mutually unrelated, hence potentially inconsistent. Software architecture completeness is also often described in an ambiguous way. As a result most methods of IT systems building comprise many gaps and ambiguities, thus presenting obstacles for software building automation. In this article the consistency and completeness of software architecture are mathematically defined based on calculation of entropy of the architecture description. Following this approach, in this paper we also propose our method of automatic verification of consistency and completeness of the software architecture development method presented in our previous article as Consistent Model Driven Architecture (CMDA). The proposed FBS (Functionality-Behaviour-Structure) entropy-based metric applied in our CMDA approach enables IT architects to decide whether the modelling process is complete and consistent. With this metric, software architects could assess the readiness of undergoing modelling work for the start of IT system building. It even allows them to assess objectively whether the designed software architecture of the IT system could be implemented at all. The overall benefit of such an approach is that it facilitates the preparation of complete and consistent software architecture more effectively as well as it enables assessing and monitoring of the ongoing modelling development status. We demonstrate this with a few industry examples of IT system designs.
- Niepostyn S.J., Koncepcja architektury sterowanej regułami spójności modeli (CMDA) na przykładzie systemu e-IRZ dla ARiMR, TIAPISZ 2015
The CMDA concept supports a design of an IT system from a top level abstract context model diagram towards implementable models enabling us to generate target software based on rules for consistency between elements of specific models. The presented design regime leads to derive a set of chosen and consistent models fully and completely describing the software architecture. The CMDA concept was positively validated i.a. in the design of Animals Identification and Registration System (e-IRZ) making use of Business Process Management platform for the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture.
- Niepostyn Stanisław Jerzy: Consistent Model Driven Architecture, w: Proceedings of SPIE, Photonics Applications in Astronomy, Communications, Industry, and High-Energy Physics Experiments / Romaniuk Ryszard ( red. ), vol. 9662, 2015, SPIE, ISBN 9781628418804, ss. 1-10, DOI:10.1117/12.2205842
The goal of the MDA is to produce software systems from abstract models in a way where human interaction is restricted to a minimum. These abstract models are based on the UML language. However, the semantics of UML models is defined in a natural language. Subsequently the verification of consistency of these diagrams is needed in order to identify errors in requirements at the early stage of the development process. The verification of consistency is difficult due to a semi-formal nature of UML diagrams. We propose automatic verification of consistency of the series of UML diagrams originating from abstract models implemented with our consistency rules. This Consistent Model Driven Architecture approach enables us to generate automatically complete workflow applications from consistent and complete models developed from abstract models (e.g. Business Context Diagram). Therefore, our method can be used to check practicability (feasibility) of software architecture models.
- Niepostyn S., J.: The Sufficient Criteria For Consistent Modelling Of The Use Case Realization Diagrams With A New Functional-Structure-Behaviour UML Diagram– The Nineteenth International Multi-Conference On Advanced Computer Systems, Międzyzdroje, Poland, October 22 - 24, 2014, Poland. Electrical Review (Przegląd Elektrotechniczny in polish), Sigma NOT, no 2, 2015
UML activity diagrams are primarily used to visualise scenarios. The verification of activity diagrams consistency is subsequently needed to identify errors in requirements at the early stage of the development process. The consistency verification is difficult due to a semi-formal nature of activity diagrams. We propose to extend the activity diagram to the new Functional-Structure-Behaviour (FSB) UML diagram to enable automatic verification of consistency of scenarios of the visualized use cases. Moreover the FSB UML diagram enables simultaneous modelling of the functionality, of the structure and of the behaviour of the target system model. Thus the proposed Functional-Structure-Behaviour UML activity diagram enables consistent and complete models to be developed from scenarios. Furthermore the FSB UML activity diagram can be used for automatic generation of complete workflow applications without any manual programming.
- Niepostyn S. J., Tyrowicz A., The Sufficient Criteria for Consistent Modelling From the Context Diagram to the Business Use Case Diagrams Driven By Consistency Rules, Chapter 5, in: Software Engineering from Research and Practice Perspectives / Madeyski Lech, Ochodek Mirosław ( red. ), 2014, Nakom
It would be unreasonable to capture everything we want in a single comprehensive diagram. Such diagram would be too big and complex, and primarily too confusing to display all architectural concerns. Key software architecture aspects should be therefore captured in several diagrams or even models, while the architectural details are grouped in adequate views and presented in a set of logically linked subsequent models. Preferably all these subsequent models should be logically originated from a certain initiating diagram. We propose to start modelling the software architecture from the initial business context diagram with subsequent process decomposition diagrams, and relevant business use case diagrams. The verification of consistency of all these diagrams would be obviously needed to identify all omissions and errors in requirements most preferably at the early stage of the development process. Semi-formal nature of these diagrams makes this consistency verification challenging. We propose to apply simple consistency rules to enable automatic verification of consistency of diagrams presenting business context, and process decomposition, and business use case models. Moreover these consistency rules enable simultaneous modelling of the functionality, of the structure and of the behaviour of the business layer of the software architecture.
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Niepostyn S., J.: The Sufficient Criteria for Consistent Modelling of The Use Case Realization Diagrams with a BPMN Diagram, in Information Systems Architecture and Technology: System Analysis Approach to the Design, Control, and Decision Support / Świątek Jerzy [i in.] ( red. ), 2014, Oficyna Wydawnicza Politechniki Wrocławskiej
BPMN diagrams are more and more often used to visualise scenarios in use case driven IT projects. The verification of consistency of BPMN diagrams is subsequently needed to identify errors in requirements at the early stage of the development process. The consistency verification is challenging due to a semi-formal nature of BPMN diagrams. We examine the BPMN diagram to workable in automatic verification of consistency of scenarios of the visualized use cases. Moreover we consider whether the BPMN diagram enables simultaneous modelling of the functionality, of the structure and of the behaviour of the target system model. Those properties should enable to develop consistent and complete models and thus to generate automatically complete workflow applications without any manual programming. In this paper we examine how BPMN diagram fulfils those properties.
- Niepostyn Stanisław Jerzy, Bluemke Ilona: The Function-Behaviour-Structure Diagram for Modelling Workflow of Information Systems, w: Advanced Information Systems Engineering Workshops / Bajec Marko, Eder Johann ( red.), Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol. 112, 2012, Springer, ISBN 978-3-642-31068-3, ss. 425-439 (EOMAS 2012).
MDA uses UML diagrams for creating “static” applications such as editors or Database Forms, while BPM, supported with BPMN diagrams, is used to build workflow applications. Despite the claimed automation of building applications, programmers still are involved in a substantial part of the system’s development. Currently, no single UML diagram provides the satisfactory completeness and consistency of the system description. There is also no BPMN diagram to satisfy such requirements. The satisfactory completeness means that the model enables to describe fully a function, a structure, and a behaviour of the IT system. With BPMN diagram one cannot provide a complete data model i.e. the structure of the IT system. Therefore the best approach seems to use a customized UML diagram, enabling to model simultaneously the functionality, the structure and the behaviour of the target system. The proposed Function-Behaviour-Structure activity diagram introduced in this paper enables to develop consistent and satisfactorily complete models.
- Bluemke I., Niepostyn J.: Consistency of UML Diagrams Generated from Three Dimensional Document Circulation Diagram, to appear in SGGW journal in 2011.
The “Three dimensional Document Circulation Diagram”, denoted as 3D DCD, enables to represent the functionality, structure and even the behaviour of an application. UML diagrams can be automatically generated from the 3D DCD model with our tool. These diagrams describe the behaviour (state diagrams), the structure (class diagrams), and the functionality (use-case diagrams). This paper shows that any change in one dimension of the model, will invoke relevant automatic changes in other dimensions, thus the consistency and completeness in UML models will be maintained. The rationale of applying the 3D DCD model in the design (logical) view of the software architecture to derive the complete and consistent UML model is given. Elements of the model are also described in the Z notation.
A new approach to mapping from BPMN diagrams into XPDL standard and the implementation of these mappings made in Dodocum modeller environment is presented. The business processes are modelled in the BPMN notation. In result refined BPMN diagrams and automatically generated DCD diagrams become round trip transformable, thus aligning services with business processes requirements. DCD diagrams are automatically translated into XPDL notation so they can be entered into any? BPM platform. DCD diagram provides not only for the transformation of all information from BPMN notation to XPDL standard, but also allows for enrichment of the missing information of BPMN diagram such as structure, functionality, or behaviour of the designed system. The mappings reveal that all major BPMN elements can be transformed to similar XPDL elements through the DCD model. Furthermore, the Dodocum modeller makes the business process models managed by BPMN Toolset also available in the XPDL format. The reverse transformation from XPDL (BPM platform) into BPMN diagrams is also possible.
Presentation: PDF
- Bluemke I., Niepostyn J.: From Three Dimensional Document Circulation Diagram into UML, Emerging Trends in Computing, Informatics, Systems Sciences, and Engineering Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, Volume 151, 2013, pp 319-329 (CISSE 2010 conference).
In most projects UML models are systematically modified and refined in the software development process. Existing software development methodologies are not explicitly describing transitions between different views, models, and appropriate elements of models. The 3D DOD model enables to design the functionality, structure and even the behavior of an application. From the 3D DOD model, consistent and complete UML diagrams may be automatically generated. In this paper a modeler, named Dodocum, automatically generating UML models from 3D DOD model is also presented.
- S.J.Niepostyn, Ilona Bluemke, Kontrola spójności modeli UML za pomocą modelu przestrzennego DOD , XII Krajowa Konferencja Inżynierii Oprogramowania KKIO 2010, 27-29.09.2010, Gdańsk, w: J. Górski, C. Orłowski (red.), Inżynieria oprogramowania w procesach integracji systemów informatycznych.
Przedstawiono kontrolę spójności trzech podstawowych diagramów UML za pomocą modelu przestrzennego DOD (Diagram Obiegu Dokumentów). Model przestrzenny DOD umożliwia zaprojektowanie struktury aplikacji, jej zachowania i funkcjonalności. Taki sposób modelowania docelowego systemu umożliwia otrzymanie zestawu wybranych i spójnych diagramów UML, pozwalający na pełny i kompletny opis architektury w perspektywie logicznej. Wygenerowany diagram 3DOD pozwala zweryfikować spójność i kompletność poszczególnych elementów diagramów UML, z których został zbudowany.
- Jerzy Niepostyn, Ilona Bluemke, Wymiana opisu procesów biznesowych pomiędzy środowiskiem Eclipse i EMC Documentum, III Krajowa Konferencja Naukowa Technologie Przetwarzania Danych - KKNTPD 2010, 21-23.06.2010, Poznań.
W niniejszym rozdziale wymianę opisu procesów biznesowych w standardzie xPDL pomiędzy środowiskiem eclipse a platformą EMC Documentum. Wymiana ta jest realizowana za pomocą modelera Dodocum, zbudowanego w środowisku Topcased. Dodocum umożliwia zaprojektowanie procesów biznesowych w trzech wymiarach: struktury, zachowania i funkcjonalności. Opisany w ten sposób proces biznesowy umożliwia wygenerowanie plików XML w standardzie xPDL, które wspomagają inżynierów przy tworzeniu aplikacji typu Content Management System (CMS) w oparciu o platformę EMC Documentum.. Modeler Dodocum umożliwia także odczyt procesów biznesowych już zaprojektowanych na platformie EMC Documentum, ich modyfikację i ponowne użycie w rozwoju aplikacji typu CMS.
- Stanisław Niepostyn, Ilona Bluemke, Modeler modelu przestrzennego DOD w środowisku Topcased, Metody Informatyki Stosowanej nr 2/2009 (19), s. 81-91, Polska Akademia Nauk Oddział w Gdańsku, Komisja Informatyki, ISSN 1898-5297.
W niniejszym artykule przedstawiono narzędzie do kontroli spójności trzech podstawowych diagramów UML za pomocą modelu przestrzennego DOD (Diagram Obiegu Dokumentów) zrealizowane w środowisku TOPCASED. Model przestrzenny DOD umożliwia zaprojektowanie struktury aplikacji jej zachowania i funkcjonalności. Taki sposób modelowania docelowego systemu umożliwia otrzymanie zestawu wybranych i spójnych diagramów UML, pozwalający na pełny i kompletny opis architektury w perspektywie logicznej. Wygenerowany diagram 3DOD pozwala zweryfikować spójność i kompletność poszczególnych elementów diagramów UML, z których został zbudowany.
- S.J.Niepostyn, Ilona Bluemke, Model przestrzenny DOD, XI Krajowa Konferencja Inżynierii Oprogramowania KKIO 2009, 14-17.09.2009, Pułtusk, w: W. Dąbrowski, A. Stasiak (red.), Od modelu do wdrożenia – kierunki badań i zastosowań inżynierii oprogramowania, WKŁ, Warszawa 2009, 343-352. ISBN 978-83-206-1747-4.
Model perspektyw architektonicznych „4 + 1” Kruchtena uporządkował metodę tworzenia oprogramowania opartą na opracowywaniu kolejnych modeli od scenariuszy, aż do perspektywy fizycznej budowanego systemu informatycznego. Model ten jest również podstawą metodyki RUP. Model Kruchtena jednakże jest dość ogólnym zarysem rozwiązania opartego na modelowaniu kolejnych perspektyw i niestety nie daje wyczerpujących odpowiedzi na pytania pojawiające się przy odwzorowywaniu poszczególnych elementów z jednej perspektywy na inną. W niniejszym rozdziale opisano model przestrzenny DOD, który w znacznej części pokazuje stosowne odwzorowania pomiędzy wymiarami wybranych perspektyw modelu Kruchtena, a także umożliwia określenie kompletności modelu, a więc i moment zakończenia prac projektowych nad wybraną perspektywą. Model przestrzenny DOD ma zastosowanie przede wszystkim do prac nad perspektywą przypadków użycia oraz perspektywą logiczną docelowego systemu.
- S.Niepostyn, I.Bluemke, Diagramy obiegu dokumentów a UML w modelowaniu procesów biznesowych, X Krajowa Konferencja Inżynierii Oprogramowania KKIO 2008, 8-11.09.2008, Szklarska Poręba, w: Z. Huzar, Z. Mazur (red.), Inżynieria oprogramowania – od teorii do praktyki, WKŁ, Warszawa-Wrocław 2008, 37-47.
W niniejszym rozdziale przedstawiono diagramy obiegu dokumentów (DOD) służące do opisu systemów obiegu dokumentów. Zaproponowano prostą metodę porównywania metod modelowania procesów biznesowych opartą na szacowaniu widoczności takich cech jak przepływ kontroli i danych, wykonywane czynności, wizualizacja obiektów, systemów, aktorów. Metodę tę użyto do porównania możliwości modelowania procesów biznesowych za pomocą diagramów DOD oraz diagramów UML. Do porównania wykorzystano wybrany fragment przemysłowego modelu systemu informatycznego.
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