Software Traceability for Multi-Agent Systems Implemented Using BDI Architecture (vol. 1)

Doctoral Thesis / Dissertation , 2011 , 199 Pages

Computer Science - Software

The development of multi-agent software systems is considered a complex task due to (a) the large number and heterogeneity of documents generated during the development of these systems, (b) the lack of support for the whole development life-cycle by existing agent-oriented methodologies requiring the use of different methodologies, and (c) the possible incompleteness of the documents and models generated during the development of the systems.

In order to alleviate the above problems, in this thesis, a traceability framework is described to support the development of multi-agent systems. The framework supports automatic generation of traceability relations and identification of missing elements (i.e., completeness checking) in the models created during the development life-cycle of multi-agent systems using the Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) architecture.

Traceability has been recognized as an important activity in the software development process. Traceability relations can guarantee and improve software quality and can help with several tasks such as the evolution of software systems, reuse of parts of the system, validation that a system meets its requirements, understanding of the rationale for certain design decisions, identification of common aspects of the system, and analysis of implications of changes in the system.

The traceability framework presented in this thesis concentrates on multi-agent software systems developed using i* framework, Prometheus methodology, and JACK language. Here, a traceability reference model is presented for software artefacts generated when using i* framework, Prometheus methodology, and JACK language. Different types of relations between the artefacts are identified. The framework is based on a rule-based approach to support automatic identification of traceability relations and missing elements between the generated artefacts. Software models represented in XML were used to support the heterogeneity of models and tools used during the software development life-cycle. In the framework, the rules are specified in an extension of XQuery to support (i) representation of the consequence part of the rules, i.e. the actions to be taken when the conditions are satisfied, and (ii) extra functions to cover some of the traceability relations being proposed and completeness checking of the models.

A prototype tool has been developed to illustrate and evaluate the work.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Figures
• Tables
• Acknowledgements
• Declaration
• Abstract
• Chapter 1 - Introduction
• 1.2 Hypotheses
• 1.3 Objectives
• 1.4 Contributions
• 1.5 Thesis Outline
• Chapter 2 - Literature Survey on Traceability
• 2.1 Traceability Reference Models and Meta-Models
• 2.2 Traceability Approaches to Capture Trace Relations
• 2.2.1 Formal Approaches
• 2.2.2 Process Oriented Approaches
• 2.2.3 Information Retrieval Approaches
• 2.2.4 String Matching Approaches
• 2.2.5 Rule Based Approaches
• 2.2.6 Run-time approaches
• 2.2.7 Hypermedia and Information Integration approaches
• 2.3 Representation, Recording and Maintenance of Traceability Relations
• 2.4 Visualisation of Traceability Relations
• 2.5 Use of Traceability Relations
• 2.6 Traceability Approaches for Multi-Agent Systems
• 2.7 Performance Measures
• 2.8 Implication of tools that infer trace relations
• 2.9 Summary
• Chapter 3 - Traceability Reference Model
• 3.1 Overview of the Reference Model
• 3.2 Multi-agent Oriented Artefacts
• 3.2.1 i* Framework
• 3.2.2 Prometheus
• 3.2.3 JACK
• 3.3 Traceability Relations
• 3.3.1 Traceability Relations between i* and Prometheus
• 3.2.2 Traceability Relations between Prometheus and JACK
• 3.4 Summary
• Chapter 4 - Traceability Framework
• 4.1. Overview of the Framework
• 4.2 Traceability and Completeness Checking Rules
• Type 1:
• Type 2:
• Type 3:
• 4.3 Extended Functions
• 4.3.1 Completeness checking functions
• 4.3.2 XQuery functions
• 4.3.3 XQueryJACKFunctions
• 4.3.4 XQueryPDTFunctions
• 4.3.5 XQuerySimilarityFunctions
• 4.3.6 XQuerySynonymsFunctions
• 4.3.7 XQueryTAOMFunctions
• 4.4 Retratos Tool
• 4.5 Discussion
• 4.6 Summary
• Chapter 5 - Evaluation and Results
• 5.1 Criteria for Evaluation
• 5.2 Automatic Teller Machine
• 5.2.1 Overview of the Case Study
• 5.2.2 Artefacts
• 5.2.3 Evaluation
• 5.3 Air Traffic Control Environment
• 5.3.1 Overview of the Case Study
• 5.3.2 Artefacts
• 5.3.3 Evaluation
• 5.4 Electronic Bookstore
• 5.4.1 Overview of the Case Study
• 5.4.2 Artefacts
• 5.4.3 Evaluation
• 5.5 Discussion
• 5.6 Threats of Validity
• 5.7 Summary
• Chapter 6 - Conclusion and Future Works
• 6.1 Overall Conclusions
• 6.2 Hypotheses
• 6.3 Objectives
• 6.4 Contributions
• 6.5 Future Work
• 6.5 Final Remarks
• Bibliography
• Volume 2
• Figures
• Tables
• Appendix A - Extended Functions
• A.1.1 Completeness checking functions
• A.1.2 XQuery functions
• A.1.3 XQueryJACKFunctions
• A.1.4 XQueryPDTFunctions
• A.1.4.1 ActorHasCapability function
• A.1.4.2 FieldTokenizer function
• A.1.4.3 GetAttributeValue function
• A.1.4.4 GetIncludedFields function
• A.1.4.5 GetInformationCarried function
• A.1.4.6 GetPDTFileName
• A.1.4.7 GetPrometheusElements
• A.1.4.8 GetPrometheus SubElements
• A.1.4.9 GetPrometheus StepScenarios
• A.1.4.10 GetPrometheusSubGoalsElements
• A.1.4.11 GetPrometheusSubGoalElements
• A.1.4.12 GetPrometheusUsesData
• A.1.4.13 IsACapability That TheAgentIncludes
• A.1.4.14 IsADataProduced By TheRole
• A.1.4.15 IsADataThatTheAgentReads
• A.1.4.16 IsADataThatTheAgentWrites
• A.1.4.17 IsADataThatTheCapabilityReads
• A.1.4.18 IsADataThatTheCapability Writes
• A.1.4.19 IsADataThatThePlanReads
• A.1.4.20 IsADataThatThePlan Writes
• A.1.4.21 IsADataUsed By TheRole
• A.1.4.22 IsADataThatTheAgentAchieves
• A.1.4.23 IsAGoalThatTheCapabilityAchieves
• A.1.4.24 ISAGoalThatThePlanAchieves
• A.1.4.25 IsAGoalThatTheAgentAchieves
• A.1.4.26 IsAGoalThatTheCapabilityAchieves
• A.1.4.27 IsAMessage ThatTheAgentReceives
• A.1.4.28 IsAMessage ThatTheAgentSends
• A.1.4.29 IsAMessageThatTheCapabilityReceives
• A.1.4.30 IsAMessage ThatTheCapabilitySends
• A.1.4.31 IsAMessage ThatTheReceives
• A.1.4.32 IsAMessageThatThePlanReceives
• A.1.4.33 IsAMessageThatThePlanSends
• A.1.4.34 IsAMessage ThatTriggersThePlan
• A.1.4.35 IsAnActionThatTheAgentPerforms
• A.1.4.36 IsAnActionThatTheCapability Performs
• A.1.4.37 IsAnActionThatThePlanPerforms
• A.1.4.38 IsAPerceptThatTheAgentResponds
• A.1.4.39 IsAPerceptThatTheCapabilityResponds
• A.1.4.40 IsAPerceptThatThePlanResponds
• A.1.4.41 IsAPerceptThatTheCapabilityResponds
• A.1.4.42 ISAPerceptThatThePlanResponds
• A.1.4.43 IsAPerceptThatTheCapability Responds
• A.1.4.44 IsAPerceptThatThePlanResponds
• A.1.4.45 IsAPlanThatTheAgentIncludes
• A.1.4.46 IsAPlanThatTheCapabilityIncludes
• A.1.4.47 ISAPlanTheRoleUses
• A.1.4.48 ISARoleThatTheAgentIncludes
• A.1.4.49 IsTrigger
• A.1.5 XQuerySimilarityFunctions
• A.1.6 XQuerySynonymsFunctions
• A.1.7 XQueryTAOMFunctions
• Appendix B - Automated Teller Machine
• B.1 Introduction
• B.2 Organizational Models
• B.3 Prometheus Models
• B.4 JACK Code
• B.5 JACK Code in XML
• B.6 Evaluation
• Appendix C - Air Traffic Control Environment
• C.1 Introduction
• C.2 Organizational Models
• C.3 Prometheus Models
• C.4 JACK Code
• C.5 Code in XML
• C.6 Evaluation
• Appendix D - Electronic Bookstore Case Study
• D.1 JACK Agent vs Prometheus Goal
• D.2 JACK Agent vs Prometheus Role
• D.3 JACK Agent vs Prometheus Agent
• D.4 JACK Agent vs Prometheus Capability
• D.5 JACK Agent vs Prometheus Plan
• D.6 JACK Agent vs Prometheus Percept
• D.7 JACK Agent vs Prometheus Action
• D.8 JACK Agent vs Prometheus Message (sends)
• D.9 JACK Agent vs Prometheus Message (receives)
• D.10 JACK Agent vs Prometheus Data (uses)
• D.11 JACK Agent vs Prometheus Data (creates)
• D.12 JACK Plan vs Prometheus Goal
• D. 13 JACK Plan vs Prometheus Role
• D.14 JACK Plan vs Prometheus Agent
• D.15 JACK Plan vs Prometheus Capability
• D.16 JACK Plan vs Prometheus Plan
• D.17 JACK Plan vs Prometheus Percept
• D.18 JACK Plan vs Prometheus Action (Sends)
• D.19 JACK Plan vs Prometheus Message (Sends)
• D.20 JACK Plan vs Prometheus Message (Receives)
• D.21 JACK Plan vs Prometheus Data (Uses)
• D.22 JACK Plan vs Prometheus Data (Creates)
• D.23 JACK BeliefSet vs Prometheus Role (Creates)

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This thesis investigates the application of software traceability techniques to multi-agent systems implemented using the Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) architecture. The primary objective is to develop a comprehensive traceability framework that captures the relationships between different artifacts involved in the development of BDI-based multi-agent systems. This framework aims to improve the understanding, maintenance, and evolution of these complex systems.

• Traceability Reference Model for Multi-Agent Systems
• Traceability Framework for BDI-based Multi-Agent Systems
• Evaluation of the Traceability Framework using Case Studies
• Contributions to the Field of Software Traceability
• Future Directions for Traceability in Multi-Agent Systems

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

Chapter 1 introduces the research problem, outlining the motivation for investigating software traceability in the context of multi-agent systems. It defines the research hypotheses, objectives, and contributions of the thesis. The chapter concludes with an overview of the thesis structure.

Chapter 2 presents a comprehensive literature review on software traceability, covering various aspects such as reference models, meta-models, traceability approaches, representation techniques, visualization methods, and applications. The chapter also discusses the specific challenges and opportunities associated with applying traceability to multi-agent systems.

Chapter 3 proposes a novel traceability reference model tailored for multi-agent systems implemented using the BDI architecture. The model defines the key artifacts involved in the development process and establishes the traceability relations between them. The chapter provides a detailed description of the model's components and their relationships.

Chapter 4 introduces a traceability framework based on the proposed reference model. The framework includes a set of rules for capturing and maintaining traceability relations, as well as a set of extended functions for automated analysis and verification. The chapter describes the implementation of the framework and its capabilities.

Chapter 5 presents the evaluation of the traceability framework using three case studies: an Automated Teller Machine, an Air Traffic Control Environment, and an Electronic Bookstore. The chapter discusses the evaluation criteria, the results obtained, and the limitations of the framework.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include software traceability, multi-agent systems, BDI architecture, traceability reference model, traceability framework, automated analysis, evaluation, case studies, and future directions.

• College: City University London
• Course: Computer Science
• Author: Gilberto Cysneiros Filho (Author)
• Publication Year: 2011
• Pages: 199
• Catalog Number: V278913
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656718437
• ISBN (Book): 9783656718413
• Language: English
• Tags: software, traceability, multi-agent, systems, implemented, using, architecture