Understanding “why” in software process modelling, analysis, and design

TLDR

Understanding the motivations, intents, and rationales behind software process activities is essential for redesigning those processes. The paper proposes a model that captures the intentional structure of software processes and their organizational embedding via actor dependency relationships, and outlines analytical tools to support systematic process design. Implemented in the Telos conceptual modeling language, the model represents actor dependencies for goals, tasks, and resources, and is illustrated using adaptations of the ISPW‑6/7 benchmark example. No additional metadata or code links are provided.

Abstract

In trying to understand and redesign software processes, it is often necessary to have an understanding of the whys that underlie the whats - the motivations, intents, and rationales behind the activities and input-output flows. This paper presents a model which captures the intentional structure of a software process and its embedding organization, in terms of dependency relationships among actors. Actors depend on each other for goals to be achieved, tasks to be performed, and resources to be furnished. The model is embedded in the conceptual modeling language Telos. We outline some analytical tools to be developed for the model, and illustrate how the model can help in the systematic design of software processes. The examples used are adaptations of the ISPW-6/7 benchmark example. >