Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Requirements-driven deployment

Customizing the requirements model for the host environment

  • Regular Paper
  • Published:
Software & Systems Modeling Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Deployment is a main development phase which configures a software to be ready for use in a certain environment. The ultimate goal of deployment is to enable users to achieve their requirements while using the deployed software. However, requirements are not uniform and differ between deployment environments. In one environment, certain requirements could be useless or redundant, thereby making some software functionalities superfluous. In another environment, instead, some requirements could be impossible to achieve and, thus, additional functionalities would be required. We advocate that ensuring fitness between requirements and the system environment is a basic and critical step to achieve a comprehensive deployment process. We propose a tool-supported modelling and analysis approach to tailor a requirements model to each environment in which the system is to be deployed. We study the case of a contextual goal model, which is a requirements model that captures the relationship between the variability of requirements (goal variability space) and the varying states of a deployment environment (context variability space). Our analysis relies on sampling a deployment environment to discover its context variability space and use it to identify loci in the contextual goal model where a modification has to take place. Finally, we apply our approach in practice and report on the obtained results.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Finkelstein, A., Savigni, A.: A Framework for requirements engineering for context-aware services. In: Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop From Software Requirements to Architectures (STRAW 01) (2001)

  2. Yu, E.: Modelling strategic relationships for process reengineering. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Toronto (1995)

  3. Bresciani P., Perini A., Giorgini P., Giunchiglia F., Mylopoulos J.: Tropos: an agent-oriented software development methodology. Auton. Agents Multi-Agent Syst. 8(3), 203–236 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Castro J., Kolp M., Mylopoulos J.: Towards requirements-driven information systems engineering: the tropos project. Inf. Syst. 27(6), 365–389 (2002)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. Dardenne A., van Lamsweerde A., Fickas S.: Goal-directed requirements acquisition. Sci. Comput. Program. 20(1–2), 3–50 (1993)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T): User Requirements Notation (URN)—Language Definition. Recommendation Z.151 (11/08), Geneva, Switzerland (2008)

  7. Mylopoulos J., Chung L., Yu E.: From object-oriented to goal-oriented requirements analysis. Commun. ACM 42(1), 31–37 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Fickas, S., Feather, M.: Requirements monitoring in dynamic environments. In: Proceedings of the 2nd IEEE International Symposium on Requirements Engineering, pp. 140–147 (1995)

  9. Sykes, D., Heaven, W., Magee, J., Kramer, J.: From goals to components: a combined approach to self-management. In: Proceedings of the 2008 International Workshop on Software Engineering for Adaptive and Self-managing Systems, pp. 1–8 (2008)

  10. Hui, B., Liaskos, S., Mylopoulos, J.: Requirements analysis for customizable software: a goals-skills-preferences framework. In: Proceedings of the 11th IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering (RE’03), pp. 117–126 (2003)

  11. Liaskos S., McIlraith S.A, Sohrabi S., Mylopoulos J.: Representing and reasoning about preferences in requirements engineering. Requir. Eng. 16, 227–249 (2011). doi:10.1007/s00766-011-0129-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Liaskos, S., McIlraith, S., Mylopoulos, J.: Representing and reasoning with preference requirements using goals. Technical report, Dept. of Computer Science, University of Toronto (2006). ftp://ftp.cs.toronto.edu/pub/reports/csrg/542

  13. Baresi, L., Pasquale, L., Spoletini, P.: Fuzzy goals for requirements-driven adaptation. In: The 18th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference (RE), pp. 125–134, 27 Oct 2010 (2010)

  14. Pourshahid A., Amyot D., Peyton L., Ghanavati S., Chen P., Weiss M., Forster A.: Business process management with the user requirements notation. Electron. Commerce Res. 9, 269–316 (2009). doi:10.1007/s10660-009-9039-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Ali, R., Dalpiaz, F., Giorgini, P.: Location-based variability for mobile information systems. In: Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering (CAiSE’08). LNCS, vol. 5074, pp. 575–578. Springer, Berlin (2008)

  16. Ali, R., Dalpiaz, F., Giorgini, P.: Location-based software modeling and analysis: tropos-based Approach. In: Proceedings of the 27th International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER 2008). LNCS, vol. 5231, pp. 169–182. Springer, Berlin (2008)

  17. Ali, R., Dalpiaz, F., Giorgini, P.: A goal modeling framework for self-contextualizable software. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Exploring Modeling Methods in Systems Analysis and Design (EMMSAD 2009). LNBIP, vol. 29, pp. 326–338. Springer, Berlin (2009)

  18. Ali R., Dalpiaz F., Giorgini P.: A goal-based framework for contextual requirements modeling and analysis. Requir. Eng. 15(4), 439–458 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Ali, R., Dalpiaz, R., Giorgini, P.: Reasoning with contextual requirements: detecting inconsistency and conflicts. Inf. Softw. Tech. (2012). doi:10.1016/j.infsof.2012.06.013

  20. Ali, R., Dalpiaz, F., Giorgini, P.: Goal-based self-contextualization. In: Proceedings of the Forum of the 21st International Conference on Advanced Information Systems (CAiSE 09-Forum), vol. 453, pp. 37–42. CEUR-WS (2009)

  21. Lapouchnian, A., Yu, Y., Mylopoulos, J.: Requirements-driven design and configuration management of business processes. In: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Business Process Management (BPM 2007). LNCS, vol. 4714, pp. 246–261. Springer, Berlin (2007)

  22. Rolland C., Souveyet C., Achour C.B.: Guiding goal modeling using scenarios. IEEE Trans. Softw. Eng. 24(12), 1055–1071 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Liaskos, S., Lapouchnian, A., Yu, Y., Yu, E., Mylopoulos, J.: On goal-based variability acquisition and analysis. In: Proceedings of the 14th IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering (RE’06), pp. 76–85 (2006)

  24. Henricksen, K., Indulska, J.: A software engineering framework for context-aware pervasive computing. In: Proceedings of the 2nd IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications (PerCom’04), pp. 77–86 (2004)

  25. Yau, S.S., Liu, J.: Hierarchical situation modeling and reasoning for pervasive computing. In: Proceedings of the 4th IEEE Workshop on Software Technologies for Future Embedded and Ubiquitous Systems (SEUS’06), pp. 5–10 (2006)

  26. Wang, X.H., Zhang, D.Q., Gu, T., Pung, H.K.: Ontology based context modeling and reasoning using OWL. In: Proceedings of the 2nd IEEE Annual Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications Workshops, pp. 18–22 (2004)

  27. Chaari T., Ejigu D., Laforest F., Scuturici V.-M.: A comprehensive approach to model and use context for adapting applications in pervasive environments. J. Syst. Softw. 80(12), 1973–1992 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Salifu, M., Yu, Y., Nuseibeh, B.: Specifying monitoring and switching problems in context. In: Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Requirements Engineering (RE’07), pp. 211–220 (2007)

  29. Salifu, M., Nuseibeh, B., Rapanotti, L., Tun, T.T.: Using problem descriptions to represent variabilities for context-aware applications. In: Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Variability Modelling of Software-Intensive Systems (VaMoS 2007), pp. 149–156 (2007)

  30. Lapouchnian, A., Mylopoulos, J.: Modeling domain variability in requirements engineering with contexts. In: Proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER 2009). LNCS, vol. 5829, pp. 115–130. Springer, Berlin (2009)

  31. Cheng, B., Sawyer, P., Bencomo, N., Whittle, J.: A goal-based modeling approach to develop requirements of an adaptive system with environmental uncertainty. In: Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems. LNCS, vol. 5795, pp. 468–483. Springer, Berlin (2009)

  32. Amyot, D., Becha, H., Braek, R., Rossebo, J.E.Y.: Next generation service engineering. In: Proceedings of the 1st ITU-T Kaleidoscope Academic Conference on Innovations in NGN: Future Network and Services (K-INGN 2008), pp. 195–202 (2008)

  33. Pohl K., Böckle G., van der Linden F.: Software Product Line Engineering: Foundations, Principles, and Techniques. Springer, Berlin (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Kang K.C., Kim S., Lee J., Kim K., Shin E., Huh M.: FORM: a feature-oriented reuse method with domain-specific reference architectures. Ann. Softw. Eng. 5, 143–168 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Hartmann, H., Trew, T.: Using feature diagrams with context variability to model multiple product lines for software supply chains. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Software Product Line Conference (SPLC’08), pp. 12–21. IEEE Computer Society (2008)

  36. Acher, M., Collet, P., Fleurey, F., Lahire, P., Moisan, S., Rigault, J.-P.: Modeling context and dynamic adaptations with feature models. In: 4th International Workshop Models@run.time (MRT’09) (2009)

  37. Parra, C., Blanc, X., Duchien, L.: Context awareness for dynamic service-oriented product lines. In: Proceedings of the 13th International Software Product Line Conference (SPLC’09), pp. 131–140 (2009)

  38. Yu, Y., do Prado Leite, J.C.S., Lapouchnian, A., Mylopoulos, J.: Configuring features with stakeholder goals. In: Proceedings of the 2008 ACM Symposium on Applied Computing (SAC’08), pp. 645–649 (2008)

  39. Ramachandran M., Allen P.: Commonality and variability analysis in industrial practice for product line improvement. Softw. Process: Improvement Practice 10(1), 31–40 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Bagheri, E., Di Noia, T., Ragone, A., Gasevic, D.: Configuring software product line feature models based on stakeholders’ soft and hard requirements. In: Software Product Lines: Going Beyond. LNCS, vol. 6287, pp. 16-31. Springer, Berlin (2010)

  41. Feather, M., Fickas, S., Van Lamsweerde, A., Ponsard, C.: Reconciling system requirements and runtime behavior. In: Proceedings of the 9th International Workshop on Software Specification and Design (IWSSD’98) (1998)

  42. Cohen, D., Feather, M.S., Narayanaswamy, K., Fickas, S.S.: Automatic monitoring of software requirements. In: Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE’97), pp. 602–603 (1997)

  43. Wang, Y., McIlraith, S., Yu, Y., Mylopoulos, J.: An automated approach to monitoring and diagnosing requirements. In: Proceedings of the 22nd IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering (ASE’07), pp. 293–302 (2007)

  44. Giorgini, P., Mylopoulos, J., Nicchiarelli, E., Sebastiani, R.: Reasoning with goal models. In: Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER’02), pp. 167–181 (2002)

  45. Weiss M., Amyot D.: Business process modeling with urn. Int. J. E-Bus. Res. 1(3), 63–90 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Kronz, A.: Managing of process key performance indicators as part of the aris methodology. Corporate Performance Management, pp. 31–44 (2006)

  47. Pourshahid A., Mussbacher G., Amyot D., Weiss M.: Toward an aspect-oriented framework for business process improvement. Int. J. Electron. Bus. 8(3), 233–259 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Robertson, S., Robertson, J.: Reliable requirements through the quality gateway. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Workshop on Database & Expert Systems Applications (DEXA’99), pp. 357–363 (1999)

  49. Robertson, S.: An early start to testing: how to test requirements. In: Proceedings of the EuroSTAR Conference (1996)

  50. Bencomo, N., Whittle, J., Sawyer, P., Finkelstein, A., Letier, E.: Requirements reflection: requirements as runtime entities. In: Proceedings of the 32nd ACM/IEEE International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE 2010), pp. 199–202 (2010)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Design, Engineering and Computing, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK

    Raian Ali

  2. Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science, University of Trento, Trento, Italy

    Fabiano Dalpiaz & Paolo Giorgini

Authors
  1. Raian Ali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fabiano Dalpiaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Paolo Giorgini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raian Ali.

Additional information

Communicated by Prof. Robert France.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ali, R., Dalpiaz, F. & Giorgini, P. Requirements-driven deployment. Softw Syst Model 13, 433–456 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10270-012-0255-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10270-012-0255-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation