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Domain Modelling: A Foundation for Software Development

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Theories of Programming and Formal Methods

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 14080))

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Abstract

Domain modelling, as per the approach of this paper, offers the possibility of describing software application domains in a precise and comprehensive manner – well before requirements capture can take place. We endow domain modelling with appropriate analysis and description calculi and a systematic method for constructing domain models. The present paper is a latest exposé of the domain science & engineering as published in earlier papers and a book. It reports on our most recent simplifications to the domain analysis & description approach.

In order to specify software, we must understand its requirements. In order to prescribe requirements, we must understand the domain. So we must study, analyse and describe domains.

The Triptych Dogma

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Thus a railway domain model should desirably cover such instances as the railways of Denmark and Norway and Sweden, each one individually.

  2. 2.

    The approach taken here can, however, also be used to devise new domains.

  3. 3.

    By specifying software we mean specifying the design of the software. That design is derived from the software requirements.

  4. 4.

    test, check and verify.

  5. 5.

    We shall, in this paper, not exemplify living species endurants.

  6. 6.

    Rigorous Approach to Idustrial Software Engineering.

  7. 7.

    RSL: RAISE Specification Language.

  8. 8.

    Other formal specification languages are possible, f.ex.: VDM [23, 24, 30], Z [58], Alloy [42], or CafeOBJ [31].

  9. 9.

    Google’s English Dictionary as provided by Oxford Languages.

  10. 10.

    We refer to predicate prompt # 2 below for a definition of endurant.

  11. 11.

    We refer to Sects. 5.1 and 5.2.

  12. 12.

    This is a purely pragmatic decision. “Of course” sand, gravel, soil, etc., are not fluids, but for our modelling purposes it is convenient to “compartmentalise” them as fluids!.

  13. 13.

    i.e., chopped sugar cane, threshed, or otherwise. See footnote 12.

  14. 14.

    This characterisation is the result of our study of relations between philosophy and computing science, notably influenced by Kai Sørlander’s Philosphy.

  15. 15.

    Framed texts highlight domain analysis & description prompts.

  16. 16.

    The author’s house location!.

  17. 17.

    The time this text was last compiled!

  18. 18.

    Jacob, P. (Aug 31, 2010). Intentionality. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (seop.illc.uva.nl/entries/intentionality/ October 15, 2014, retrieved April 3, 2018.

  19. 19.

    The term intentional pull is chosen so as to connote with the term gravitational pull.

  20. 20.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-entry_bookkeeping.

  21. 21.

    Please bear in mind that the use, here, of CSP, is in the following context: the CSP clauses are not to be “interpreted” on a computer where this “computerisation” has to be “shared” with other computations; hence CSP synchcronisation & communication is “ideal” and reflects reality.

  22. 22.

    For retr_\(\cdots \) see Sect. 5.1.4 on page 16.

  23. 23.

    For record_\(\mathbb {TIME}\) see Sect. 4.2 on page 15.

  24. 24.

    i.e., proof obligations.

  25. 25.

    Some readers may object, but we insist! If trees are brought forward, as an example of a recursively definable domain, then we argue: Yes, trees can be recursively defined. Trees can, as well, be defined as a variant of graphs, and you wouldn’t claim, would you, that graphs are recursive ? We shall consider the living species of trees (that is, plants), as atomic. In defining attribute types You may wish to model certain attributes as ‘trees’. Then, by all means, You may do so recursively. But natural trees, having roots and branches cannot be recursively defined, since proper “sub-trees” of trees would then have roots!

  26. 26.

    This characterisation clearly lacks sufficient formality. We refer to Sect. 8.2.16 below.

  27. 27.

    – as suggested by Michael A. Jackson [43].

  28. 28.

    I acknowledge the mentioning of these three references to one of the reviewers of the resent paper.

  29. 29.

    Cf. Sect. 8.2.7 on the previous page.

  30. 30.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leibniz%E2%80%93Newton_calculus_controversy.

  31. 31.

    https://eng.gst.dk/danish-cadastre-office/cadastral-map.

  32. 32.

    https://informatics.tuwien.ac.at/.

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Acknowledgment

A referee of this paper, many thanks to all five (!), suggested the following, slightly edited acknowledgment:

Laudatio: Prof. He Jifeng

– He Jifeng’s work on a Unifying Theory of Programming, UTP – a monumental contribution – is seen as a domain model for programming languages covering a wide range of programming language paradigms.

– UTP is about unifying axiomatic, denotational and operational semantics all of which can be expressed in RSL. Hence, RSL could be used as a concrete language to define a unifying theory of programming.

– One could combine domain modelling and UTP in order to systematically develop and define formal domain specific languages, DSLs. It might result in a new unifying theory of DSLs.

I fully concur.

I gratefully acknowledge the opportunity given to me, to write this paper, during my PhD lectures, October–November 2022, at the TU Wien Informatics, Vienna, Austria, by Prof. Laura Kovacs. I also gratefully acknowledge comments by Klaus Havelund, Kazuhiro Ogata and Wolfgang Reisig. Finally, many thanks to Jonathan Bowen for his indefatigable work on getting this paper in proper form and this volume finished.

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  1. The Technical University of Denmark, Fredsvej 11, 2840, Holte, Denmark

    Dines Bjørner

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. London South Bank University, London, UK

    Jonathan P. Bowen

  2. East China Normal University, Shanghai, China

    Qin Li

  3. University of Macau, Macau, China

    Qiwen Xu

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Bjørner, D. (2023). Domain Modelling: A Foundation for Software Development. In: Bowen, J.P., Li, Q., Xu, Q. (eds) Theories of Programming and Formal Methods. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14080. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-40436-8_7

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