Implementing tool support for box structures

Abstract

This paper describes a feasibility study to implement partial tool supportfor the graphical componentof the box structure methodology (BSM). By following the defined strategy and process, an existing computer-aided software engineering (CASE) environment has been extendedwith a customizer to provide support for the box definition graphics(BOG) componentof BSM. The critical functions required from a CASE environment are also described to provide the reader with a background for selecting one of the various implementations available today.T he creation of the box structure methodology (BSM) provides systems developers with a new powerful, yet straightforward, software engineering methodology.'After the inception of BSM, a course of study was developed to educate systems developers in the creation of requirements specifications' by employing BSM to solve problems involving the design of systems. The expectation was that as more developers became trained in its use, BSM could evolve into one of the mainstream methodologies used to describe and define systems.Since aSM is relatively new, it has had to compete against other, more established methodologies such as structured analysis and structured design. Sophisticated support environments were developed to provide functions for creating and analyzing the deliverables of these methodologies. When BSM was introduced, it lacked a support environment that would provide functions to enter and analyze BSM data.Without such functions, the strategy for incorporating BSM in the internal development process was weakened.This paper describes the study developed to create a support environment for BSM. The first section describes a strategy developed to implement computeraided tool support by using a computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tool customizer. The conceptual view of a CASE environment is introduced along with the view of an extended environment representing the new customized functions created. With a strategy identified, the next section defines a process that results in the successful integration of functions supporting the entry and analysis of box definition graphics (BDG). The process begins with learning the methodology from a user's point of view, and then describes the methodology with an entity-relationship diagram so that its components can be determined. A target CASE environment is chosen, learned, and implemented. Successful results are achieved by following the strategy and procedures explained in the section on BSM tool results. Finally, the validation process is presented.The major product of this study was the successful implementation oflimited BSM support. The support

Method Engineering: Current research directions and implications for future research

“…Several works in the language context make efforts either to generalize the requirements for ME languages, or to standardize the functionality of a ME language based on mathematics or conceptual framework (see table below). In the organization context some papers follow normative research since they propose a task of a method engineer (Kumar and Welke 1992), explains reasons for selecting customizable tools (Bubenko 1988), describe tool adaptation practices (Tagg 1990), or normative frameworks for ME (Slooten and Brinkkemper 1993).…”