Abstract

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a standard for visual modelling. We can design abstract models by using its elements. The semantic scope of the UML elements is very broad, and they are not fully addressing the needs of some modelling domains, including the modelling of goals and non-functional requirements (NFR). To address this problem, UML allows the customization of its metamodel with an extension mechanism called UML profile.

Some work has already been done in the area of UML profiles for NFR and goals. In some cases, the proposed solutions were only partially complete. Sometimes, the profiles were based on metamodels whose nature and accuracy for this domain were unclear. In other cases, the profiling approaches taken were simply inappropriate, leading to unsatisfactory solutions.

In this paper, we propose a UML profile for the Goal-oriented Requirement Language (GRL), a goal/NFR notation undergoing standardization at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T) as part of the User Requirements Notation (URN). Our profile is based on the abstract metamodel of GRL, which has already been successfully tested and implemented in the jUCMNav Eclipse plug-in (a URN modeling tool). This profile is also implemented in a UML 2 tool, namely Telelogic G2 4.0, and challenges in its concrete support are discussed. The profiling approach used in this thesis is one that has been recommended by modellers and standards developers. Our profile for goal-oriented modelling is also illustrated and validated with several examples.

-- Daniel Amyot - 10 Sep 2008

Discussion

• See Vir Lib SDL09profile for the SDL'09 version of this paper (public)
• Paper available upon request (damyot@site.uottawa.ca)
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