SPEM Ontology as the semantic notation for method and process definition in the context of SWEBOK

Abstract

The Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) provides a consensually validated characterization of the bounds of the software engineering discipline and to provide a topical access to the Body of Knowledge supporting that discipline. The topic "Notation for Process Definition" references selected notations appropriate for software process definition. However all of them have weakly defined semantics, thus is not possible to use formal techniques for process model creation, validation etc. In this work we present created Software and Systems Process Engineering Meta-Model (SPEM) Ontology that improves the lack of mentioned process notations. The SPEM Ontology constitutes a semantic notation that provides concepts for knowledge based software process engineering. The work also discusses utilization of such semantic notation in other selected SWEBOK topics, the Software Project Planning, the Software Project Enactment, and the Verification and Validation.