Formal adaptation method for process descriptions

Abstract

The authors propose a functional language PDL (Process Description Language), designed to describe various development processes in a certain environment. To create and modify the PDL scripts easily and correctly, the authors propose a method of stepwise refinement from abstract scripts into concrete scripts. By this method, the abstract definitions of software process flow and product flow initially given as function definitions in PDL, are transformed into the concrete definitions of the tool activations, message displays, and so on. The authors also discuss an architecture design of a software development environment (Adaptable Software Development Environment), which can be adapted in many ways for designer's requirements.