Agent-oriented conceptual models to UML sequence diagrams via effect annotations

Issue title: Special Issue on Agent-oriented Software Development Methodologies

Guest editors: Hong Zhu

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Krishna, Aneesh^{; *} | Ghose, Aditya K. | Vranesevic, Aleksandar

Affiliations: Decision Systems Laboratory, School of I.T. & Computer Science, University of Wollongong, Australia. E-mail: aneesh@uow.edu.au, aditya@uow.edu.au, av85@uow.edu.au | Department of Computing, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX33 1HX, UK

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 2 42214043; Fax: +61 2 42214170; E-mail: aneesh@uow.edu.au

Abstract: Agent-Oriented Conceptual Modelling (AOCM) offers a useful approach to modelling early phase requirements. It is mainly effective in capturing organisational contexts, stakeholder intentions and rationale. In contrast, UML sequence diagrams are best suited for showing how objects within the intended system interact over time. This paper, suggests an approach for supporting the process of obtaining UML sequence diagrams from i* models via effect annotations. In addition, a co-evolution approach is recommended in which i* models and UML sequence diagrams are concurrently maintained and updated, while retaining some modicum of loose consistency between the two. This research permits the use of two otherwise disparate approaches in a complementary and synergistic fashion for requirement engineering.

Keywords: Agent-oriented conceptual models, UML sequence diagrams, co-evolution, effect annotations

DOI: 10.3233/MGS-2006-2402

Journal: Multiagent and Grid Systems, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 305-323, 2006