Visualizing Aspect-Oriented Goal Models with AoGRL

Abstract

As goal models can be large and complex even for small problems, it is often a challenge to aptly visualize them and to efficiently structure them for maintenance and reuse activities. The Goal-oriented Requirement Language (GRL) based on i* and the Non- Functional Requirements (NFR) Framework is no exception regarding these challenges. We argue that new ways of visualizing GRL goal models are needed and propose to use Aspect-oriented GRL (AoGRL) to improve the current structure of GRL models and their visualization. The paper presents a case study to evaluate the modularity, understandability, reusability, maintainability, and scalability of AoGRL models compared to GRL models. The evaluation is carried out based on metrics adapted from literature. The evaluation suggests that AoGRL models are more scalable than GRL models and exhibit better modularity, understandability, reusability, and maintainability requirements engineering approaches such as use cases [11], viewpoints [18] and goals [1]. However work on goals and aspects still needs more investigation.