Requirements tracing to support change in dynamically adaptive systems

Welsh, Kristopher and Sawyer, Peter (2009) Requirements tracing to support change in dynamically adaptive systems. In: Requirements Engineering: Foundation for Software Quality : 15th International Working Conference, REFSQ 2009 Amsterdam, The Netherlands, June 8-9, 2009 Proceedings. Lecture Notes in Computer Science . Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 59-73. ISBN 9783642020490

Abstract

[Context and motivation] All systems are susceptible to the need for change, with the desire to operate in changeable environments driving the need for software adaptation. A Dynamically Adaptive System (DAS) adjusts its behaviour autonomously at runtime in order to accommodate changes in its operating environment, which are anticipated in the system’s requirements specification. [Question/Problem] In this paper, we argue that Dynamic Adaptive Systems’ requirements specifications are more susceptible to change than those of traditional static systems. We propose an extension to i* strategic rationale models to aid in changing a DAS. [Principal Ideas/Results] By selecting some of the types of tracing proposed for the most complex systems and supporting them for DAS modelling, it becomes possible to handle change to a DAS’ requirements efficiently, whilst still allowing artefacts to be stored in a Requirements Management tool to mitigate additional complexity. [Contribution] The paper identifies different classes of change that a DAS’ requirements may be subjected to, and illustrates with a case study how additional tracing information can support the making of each class of change.