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The software production process involves a set of phases where a clear relationship and smooth transitions between them should be introduced. In this paper, a requirements engineering-based conceptual modeling approach is introduced as a way to improve the quality of the software production process. The aim of this approach is to provide a set of techniques and methods to capture software requirements and to provide a way to move from requirements to a conceptual schema in a traceable way. The approach combines a framework for requirements engineering (TRADE) and a graphical object-oriented method for conceptual modeling and code generation (OO-Method). The intended improvement of the software production process is accomplished by providing a precise methodological guidance to go from the user requirements (represented through the use of the appropriate TRADE techniques) to the conceptual schema that properly represents them (according to the conceptual constructs provided by the OO-Method). Additionally, as the OO-Method provides full model-based code generation features, this combination minimizes the time dedicated to obtaining the nal software product.

Modeling is a fundamental activity within the requirements engineering process and concerns the construction of abstract descriptions of software requirements that are amenable to interpretation and validation. The choice of a modeling technique is a critical issue whenever it is necessary to discuss the interpretation and validation of software requirements. This is particularly true in the case of stakeholders with divergent goals and different backgrounds and experience. This paper presents the results of a family of experiments conducted with students and professionals to investigate whether the comprehension of software requirements is influenced by the use of dynamic models. The family contains five experiments performed in different locations and with 112 subjects of different abilities and levels of experience with UML. The results show that dynamic models improve the comprehension of software requirements in the case of high ability and more experienced subjects.

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