Mike Mannion

Using First-Order Logic for Product Line Model Validation

Product line models are used to drive the generation of requirements for single systems in the product line. They are difficult to validate because they are large and complex. By modelling variability and dependency between requirements using propositional connectives, a logical expression can be developed for the model. Validation of the selection of requirements from the model can be achieved by satisfying the logical expression. This approach can be used to validate the model as a whole. A detailed worked example is presented, and the computational aspects of the approach are discussed.

Interactive Multimedia and Learning: Realizing the Benefits

Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning environments which actively engage the learner, thereby promoting deep learning. However there is growing evidence that the potential of interactive multimedia is not being fulfilled. This paper argues that if we are to design effective interactive learning application then a user-centred approach to their design should be taken. This approach should be based on general human-computer interaction principles as well as educational theory. The paper starts with an overview of the learning process. Consideration is then given to how the key elements of interactive multimedia (multiple media, user control over the delivery of information, and interactivity) can be used to enhance that process, with the emphasis being on promoting deep learning. The paper concludes by giving suggestions for future work.

Using patterns to model variability in product families

A product family can generate significant savings in cost and time by permitting software component reuse. The authors have developed a simple method of product family engineering using patterns to model variability and tested it on the European Space Operations Centre new mission planning software system with positive results.

Reusing single system requirements from application family requirements

Reuse and requirements engineering are very important for efficient and successful systems development. However there are many open issues for performing them well in practice, especially raise of requirements. We present a new approach to reusing requirements based on application families i.e. several systems in a given problem domain. In contrast to precious approaches, an application family model in our approach consists of a pool of requirements (linked in a lattice structure), a domain model and a set of discriminants (a special kind of requirement that differentiate one system from another). We focus on how to make an efficient and clean selection of the requirements for a new system from an application family model. We have developed a method for solving this problem and a prototypical tool for supporting it. The method and the prototype were successfully developed under a study contract for ESA (European Space Agency). We present a case study, where we generated commanding requirements for an individual mission from an application family model of commanding requirements for spacecraft control operating systems. As a consequence, we propose this approach for reusing requirements based an application families.

Developments in information and communication technologies for retail marketing channels

Online shopping is unattractive to many people, because they prefer a fuller social interaction engaging senses other than sight and sound prevalent in most online shopping channels. Advances in information and communications technologies (ICTs) will permit online multi‐sensory engagement between people, and between people and products, providing opportunities for new marketing channels and enhancing existing marketing channels. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview for retail marketing managers of some developments in ICTs that will enhance the online shopping experience, so that they can make informed choices when designing their marketing strategies.

Theorem Proving for Product Line Model Verification

Product line models of requirements can be used to drive the selection of requirements of new systems in the product line. Validating any selected single system is difficult because product line models are large and complex. However by modelling variability and dependency between requirements using propositional connectives a logical expression can be developed for the model and then selection validation can be achieved by satisfying the logical expression. This approach can be used to validate the model as a whole. A case study with nearly 800 requirements is presented and the computational aspects of the approach are discussed.

An intelligent agent security intrusion system

Network security has now become one of the most important aspects in computer systems and the Internet. Apart from strong encryption, there is no definite method of truly securing network, thus they must be protected at different levels of the OSI model. At the physical layer, they can be protected by lock-and-key, and at the data link, they can be protected within VLANS (virtual LANs). With the network and transport layers, networks can be secured by firewalls, which monitor source and destination network addresses, and source and destination ports, respectively. At the session level, user names and passwords are be used. Unfortunately, all these methods can be prone to methods which can overcome the protection used. This paper expands the research previously undertaken on a misuse system based on the intelligent agent software technology. The system monitors user actions in real-time and take appropriate actions if necessary. Along with this our system uses a short-term prediction to predict the user behaviour and advises the system administrator accordingly, before the actual actions take place. This paper presents new results, which are based on an increased number of users. We tested our short-term prediction model, introduced the notion of intervention to our model, and found that the results are very close to the actual user behaviour.

Viewpoint-Oriented Variability Modeling

Software product lines have emerged as the main method achieving reuse. Traditionally, a product line has a single feature model shared by all the products. For large and evolving product lines with numerous stakeholders, the feature model becomes increasingly complex and hard to manage. Having just one large feature model with all allowed variability makes understanding the reasons for variability very difficult. This may lead to reluctance of changing feature variability and removing unnecessary variability rules from the model. In this paper, we propose a method to use viewpoints for capturing the needs of all stakeholders without resorting to a one large feature model. Different viewpoints can be combined to gain insight to the product line and to derive products. The method supports current industrial practices.

Representing Requirements on Generic Software in an Application Family Model

Generic software is built in order to deal with the variability of a set of similar software systems and to make their construction cheaper and more efficient. A typical approach to representing requirements variability in generic software is through the use of parameters, i.e. quantitative variability. Qualitative variability, however, is often dealt with in an implicit and ad hoc manner. In previous work, we used discriminants for representing qualitative variability in a model of application family requirements. In this paper we extend this approach by combining discriminants and parameters for modelling qualitative and quantitative variability. Using this approach, we present a case study in the domain of spacecraft control operating systems and focus on building an application family model. The experience suggests that our approach provides a clean and well-defined way of representing the variability of generic software.

An agent-based Bayesian forecasting model for enhanced network security

Security has become a major issue in many organisations, but most systems still rely on operating systems, and a user ID and password system to provide user authentication and validation. They also tend to be centralized in their approach which makes them open to an attack. This paper presents a distributed approach to network security using agents, and presents a novel application of the Bayesian forecasting technique to predict user actions. The Bayesian method has been used in the past on weather forecasting and has been expanded so that it can be used to provide enhanced network security by trying to predict user actions. For this a system can determine if a user is acting unpredictably or has changed their normal working pattern. Results are also given which show that the new model can predict user actions, and a set of experiments are proposed for further exploitation of the method.