Supporting requirements analysis using pattern-based formal specification construction

Abstract

Requirements analysis for understanding the user’s requirements and producing a specification is an important but challenging activity in software development. In this paper, we discuss how the activity can be strengthened by means of pattern-based formal specification construction. We explain the concept of specification pattern and describe how patterns are treated as knowledge stored on computer to guide the user in carrying out the analysis of a functional requirement. Our approach is characterized by the fact that the user only needs to work on natural language level while the computer will automatically select appropriate specification patterns to provide clear instructions on the action to be taken by the user and to eventually form a formal specification or expression as a result. We present a software tool and an experiment to demonstrate the supportability and applicability of our approach, respectively.