Abstraction Level Hierarchy: The Model and its Significance for Software Engineering

An abstraction level hierarchy models abstraction-concretization relationships between different types of specifications. The proposed model combines into a single, continuous partially ordered set, all types of specifications, such as requirement specifications, design specifications and even the program code. Information theoretic definitions were developed for the concepts of abstraction, concretization and abstraction level. The paper demonstrates how the model can be used to reason about software engineering issues. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to propose an underlying model for software engineering research.