Validation and verification of systems designs using MOOSE

Model-based Object-Oriented Systems Engineering (MOOSE) is a full-lifecycle computer systems engineering method intended for the development of products that make use of application-specific embedded and distributed computer systems. The method is divided into a number of phases that effect a series of transformations leading to an implementation, and it is supported by a product engineer´s workbench that supports the capture, translation and execution of the model. Phase 1 is concerned with the production of a product architecture, which consists of a structured set of requirements, a system domain model and a model showing the system´s behaviour and structure. In phase 2, the behavioural model is augmented with information that allows the model to be executed. The resulting executable model can be used to validate the system´s logical behaviour and to investigate logical timing issues. In phase 3, actual commitments to implementation are made by transforming the executable model according to the constraints imposed by non-functional requirements. Phase 3a is primarily concerned with committing the objects in the executable model to specific implementation technologies and assigning software objects to processors (the result is a `committed model´). Phase 3b is concerned with adding `functionally neutral´ objects that are necessary in order for a computer system to execute. The activity centres on transformations applied to a `platform model´ that is initially formed by automatic translation of the committed model and which contains all the hardware objects and the software interfaces into the hardware