O-MaSE: A customizable approach to developing multiagent development processes

Abstract

This paper describes the Organization-based Multiagent System Engineering (O-MaSE) Process Framework, which helps process engineers define custom multiagent systems development processes. O-MaSE builds off the MaSE methodology and is adapted from the OPEN Process Framework (OPF). OPF implements a Method Engineering approach to process construction. The goal of O-MaSE is to allow designers to create customized agent-oriented software development processes. O-MaSE consists of three basic structures: (1) a metamodel, (2) a set of methods fragments, and (3) a set of guidelines. The O-MaSE metamodel defines the key concepts needed to design and implement multiagent systems. The method fragments are operations or tasks that are executed to produce a set of work products, which may include models, documents, or code. The guidelines define how the method fragments are related to one another. The paper also shows two O-MaSE process examples. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.