J. A. García-García

Software process modeling languages: A systematic literature review

Context: Organizations working in software development are aware that processes are very important assets as well as they are very conscious of the need to deploy well-defined processes with the goal of improving software product development and, particularly, quality. Software process modeling languages are an important support for describing and managing software processes in software-intensive organizations. Objective: This paper seeks to identify what software process modeling languages have been defined in last decade, the relationships and dependencies among them and, starting from the current state, to define directions for future research. Method: A systematic literature review was developed. 1929 papers were retrieved by a manual search in 9 databases and 46 primary studies were finally included. Results: Since 2000 more than 40 languages have been first reported, each of which with a concrete purpose. We show that different base technologies have been used to define software process modeling languages. We provide a scheme where each language is registered together with the year it was created, the base technology used to define it and whether it is considered a starting point for later languages. This scheme is used to illustrate the trend in software process modeling languages. Finally, we present directions for future research. Conclusion: This review presents the different software process modeling languages that have been developed in the last ten years, showing the relevant fact that model-based SPMLs (Software Process Modeling Languages) are being considered as a current trend. Each one of these languages has been designed with a particular motivation, to solve problems which had been detected. However, there are still several problems to face, which have become evident in this review. This let us provide researchers with some guidelines for future research on this topic.

NDT-Suite: a model-based suite for the application of NDT

In general, a methodology needs to be empowered by appropriate tool support. Despite MDE paradigm does not result friendly enough in enterprise environments, particularly, the application of transformations among models may become complex, monotonous and very expensive if there are no software tools automating the process. In this context, this research paper presents NDT-Suite. Nowadays, NDT-Suite is composed by a wide set of free Java tools which gives support to enterprises that are using NDT (Navigational Development Techniques) methodology in their projects. All of them support different aspects in NDT usage: quality assurance, exit generation or code checking, among others. These seeds set the environment for NDT usage for both research and practical use.

NDT-Driver: A Java Tool to Support QVT Transformations for NDT

In the last years, the model-driven paradigm has been used in different areas of software development. One of these areas is Web engineering, which is commonly named model-driven Web engineering (MDWE). Although research groups obtained very relevant results in the application of this paradigm in Web development, the model-driven paradigm does not result friendly enough in enterprise environments. This chapter presents a tool, NDT-Driver, which implements the transformations of a model-driven approach called NDT. It analyzes how this tool is used in companies and how it facilitates the application of model-driven paradigm in enterprise environments.

A Strategic Study about Quality Characteristics in e-Health Systems Based on a Systematic Literature Review

e-Health Systems quality management is an expensive and hard process that entails performing several tasks such as analysis, evaluation, and quality control. Furthermore, the development of an e-Health System involves great responsibility since peoples health and quality of life depend on the system and services offered. The focus of the following study is to identify the gap in Quality Characteristics for e-Health Systems, by detecting not only which are the most studied, but also which are the most used Quality Characteristics these Systems include. A strategic study is driven in this paper by a Systematic Literature Review so as to identify Quality Characteristics in e-Health. Such study makes information and communication technology organizations reflect and act strategically to manage quality in e-Health Systems efficiently and effectively. As a result, this paper proposes the bases of a Quality Model and focuses on a set of Quality Characteristics to enable e-Health Systems quality management. Thus, we can conclude that this paper contributes to implementing knowledge with regard to the mission and view of e-Health (Systems) quality management and helps understand how current researches evaluate quality in e-Health Systems.

Working with the HL7 metamodel in a Model Driven Engineering context

HL7 (Health Level 7) International is an organization that defines health information standards. Most HL7 domain information models have been designed according to a proprietary graphic language whose domain models are based on the HL7 metamodel. Many researchers have considered using HL7 in the MDE (Model-Driven Engineering) context. A limitation has been identified: all MDE tools support UML (Unified Modeling Language), which is a standard model language, but most do not support the HL7 proprietary model language. We want to support software engineers without HL7 experience, thus real-world problems would be modeled by them by defining system requirements in UML that are compliant with HL7 domain models transparently. The objective of the present research is to connect HL7 with software analysis using a generic model-based approach. This paper introduces a first approach to an HL7 MDE solution that considers the MIF (Model Interchange Format) metamodel proposed by HL7 by making use of a plug-in developed in the EA (Enterprise Architect) tool.

Detecting Web requirements conflicts and inconsistencies under a model-based perspective

Web requirements engineering is an essential phase in the software project life cycle for the project results. This phase covers different activities and tasks that in many situations, depending on the analysts experience or intuition, help getting accurate specifications. One of these tasks is the conciliation of requirements in projects with different groups of users. This article presents an approach for the systematic conciliation of requirements in big projects dealing with a model-based approach. The article presents a possible implementation of the approach in the context of the NDT (Navigational Development Techniques) Methodology and shows the empirical evaluation in a real project by analysing the improvements obtained with our approach. The paper presents interesting results that demonstrate that we can get a reduction in the time required to find conflicts between requirements, which implies a reduction in the global development costs.

Software Process Management: A Model-Based Approach

Business processes constitute one major asset in an organization and software businesses are not an exception. Processes definition, maintenance, and management are key aspects to control and define how to build software systems up and also to support decision-making. In this paper, a model-based approach is proposed to facilitate these processes. Thus, a global environment for business processes in software development is presented. The final results are illustrated through the NDTQ-Framework, a solution based on this approach that is currently being used in software development organizations.

A framework and tool to manage Cloud Computing service quality

Cloud Computing has generated considerable interest in both companies specialized in Information and Communication Technology and business context in general. The Sourcing Capability Maturity Model for service (e-SCM) is a capability model for offshore outsourcing services between clients and providers that offers appropriate strategies to enhance Cloud Computing implementation. It intends to achieve the required quality of service and develop an effective working relationship between clients and providers. Moreover, quality evaluation framework is a framework to control the quality of any product and/or process. It offers a tool support that can generate software artifacts to manage any type of product and service efficiently and effectively. Thus, the aim of this paper was to make this framework and tool support available to manage Cloud Computing service quality between clients and providers by means of e-SCM.

A Model-Driven Proposal to Execute and Orchestrate Processes: PLM4BS

Business Processes Management (BPM) is a widely consolidated business strategy to improve and optimize the internal operation of any company. However, BPM is not usually simple to apply in software organizations because Software Processes (SPs) involve high degree of creativity, abstraction and rework, among other aspects. This situation provokes that these companies usually focus on modeling their processes but later, the orchestration and execution are manually and/or unilaterally performed by each involved role. This situation makes each SP difficult to maintain, monitor, evolve and measure. At present, there are model-based proposals to model SPs, but most of them fail to define the execution context of the process. This paper presents PLM4BS, a model-driven framework to support modeling, execution and orchestration of SPs. It has been successfully validated in different real environments, what has returned us valuable feedback to improve PLM4BS in the near future.

LiquidML: A Web Modeling Language Supporting Fast Metamodel Evolution.

Model Driven development approaches are being adopted by the software industry due to a core set of benefits such as raising the level of abstraction and reducing coding errors. However, their underlying modelling languages tend to be quite rigid, making their evolution hard, specifically when the corresponding metamodel do not support primitives and/or functionalities required in specific business domains. In this work, we present an approach for fast evolution of the modelling language that is “self reflective”, allowing modellers to abstract new language concepts from the primitives. The main advantage of our approach is that it provides zero application downtime and automatic tool evolution. As a consequence, applications created with our approach are able to adapt quicker to the business needs than those based on traditional Web modelling languages. We compare our approach with existing modelling languages in a case study providing a proof of its ability to adapt faster than to new business needs.