Title :
Abstract requirements specification: A new approach and its application
Author :
Heitmeyer, C.L. ; McLean, J.D.
Author_Institution :
Computer Science and Systems Branch, Naval Research Laboratory
Abstract :
An abstract requirements specification states system requirements precisely without describing a real or a paradigm implementation. Although such specifications have important advantages, they are difficult to produce for complex systems and hence are seldom seen in the "real" programming world. This paper introduces an approach to producing abstract requirements specifications that applies to a significant class of real-world systems, including any system that must reconstruct data that have undergone a sequence of transformations. tions. It also describes how the approach was used to produce a requirements document for SCP, a small, but nontrivial Navy communications system. The specification techniques used in the SCP requirements document are introduced and illustrated with examples.
Keywords :
Abstract specification; communications system; formal specifications; requirements document; requirements specification; specifications; Computer science; Contracts; Data structures; Formal specifications; Measurement standards; Personnel; Software algorithms; Software maintenance; Standards development; Abstract specification; communications system; formal specifications; requirements document; requirements specification; specifications;
Journal_Title :
Software Engineering, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TSE.1983.235117