Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 14:17:01 GMT To: re-world@doc.ic.ac.uk From: acwf@doc.ic.ac.uk (Anthony Finkelstein) X-Sender: acwf@gummo.doc.ic.ac.uk Subject: REQUIREMENTS ENGINEERING NEWSLETTER (21) ****************REQUIREMENTS ENGINEERING NEWSLETTER******************** No. 21. Contents 1. IMPORTANT: European Laboratories Without Walls (Anthony Finkelstein) 2. ICSE-16 Advance Program (Axel van Lamsweerde) 3. Workshop on The Use of Soft Systems Methodology in the Determination of Requirements for Computer-Based Systems (Philip Morrow) 4. Eurographics Workshop on Design, Specification, Verification of Interactive Systems (Michael Harrison) If you have questions about particular items appearing in the newsletter - send them to the originators. If you wish to contribute send your material to: re-list@doc.ic.ac.uk (will be moderated). Subscription or Removal requests should be sent to: re-request@doc.ic.ac.uk Back issues can be obtained via anonymous ftp from ftp-host: dse.doc.ic.ac.uk (IP number: 146.169.2.20). Directory: requirements. Files are called renl1, renl2, etc. If you cannot use ftp then you can get any back issues using email. Send email containing the following to ftpmail@doc.ic.ac.uk open dse.doc.ic.ac.uk cd requirements get quit The Requirements Engineering Newsletter and its archive is also accessible through WWW. The URL is: http://web.doc.ic.ac.uk/req-eng/index.html You may wish to link any Internet software engineering information resource you maintain to this and/or notify the manager of your local Web server by passing this message on to them. If you wish your requirements or software engineering ftp archive to be linked to the RE Newsletter archive please inform me. If you are unfamiliar with WWW you may wish to obtain a copy of the Mosaic public domain internet browser which is available for X-Windows, Macintosh or Microsoft Windows. The RE Newsletter can be conveniently accessed through the Imperial College, Department of Computing, United Kingdom, WWW Home Page (http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/). ********************************************************************** Subject: IMPORTANT: European Laboratories Without Walls From: acwf@doc.ic.ac.uk (Anthony Finkelstein) Discussion of the new Framework Programme (FP IV) for European collaboration is at an advanced stage though the detailed work programmes have not been issued. Within the Training and Mobility of Researchers activity some money (approximately 350 million ecu) will be devoted to linking laboratories of different countries. "Associations of laboratories from different member states will be mobilised to collaborate on a common research problem". I propose to use the European Laboratory Without Walls scheme to support an information dissemination, coordination and technical exchange scheme in the area of Requirements Engineering based around this newsletter. I also propose to use the scheme to integrate information resources available on the Internet in Requirements Engineering. I would be grateful if European subscribers to the Newsletter (including EEA, formerly EFTA, countries in Central and Eastern Europe and new independent states of the former Soviet Union) who are interested in discussing this proposal could contact me. ********************************************************************** [Moderator: This programme is very lengthy we have therefore made a full copy available via anonymous ftp from ftp-host: dse.doc.ic.ac.uk (IP number: 146.169.2.20). Directory: requirements.] From: avl@info.ucl.ac.be (A. van Lamsweerde) Subject: ICSE-16 Advance Program @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @ ICSE-16 @ @ 16th International Conference on SOFTWARE ENGINEERING @ @ Sorrento Palace Hotel, SORRENTO, Italy @ @ MAY 16-21, 1994 @ @ ADVANCE PROGRAM @ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ The objective of the ICSE conference series is to foster the development of the software engineering field by: - providing a forum for the introduction and discussion of new software engineering research results; - helping practicing software engineers to evaluate ongoing research; - providing the research community exposure to the problems of practical applications of software engineering; - encouraging the exchange of advanced software technology and experience within the international community. The ICSE series serves as a focal point for software engineers worldwide, featuring professional activities, opportunities for informal interaction, and community recognition events. ICSE-16 continues in that tradition. Professional activities will include presentations of research papers and experience reports, invited talks, state of the art reports, panels, tutorials, tools demonstrations, three interdisciplinary preconference workshops (Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering and Databases, Software Engineering and Human Computer Interaction), and a postconference workshop on Software Engineering Education. In addition ICSE-16 will provide a forum for recognition of community leaders, and for informal exchanges of ideas, insights and experience, in an inspiring setting overlooking the beautiful Bay of Naples. ********************************************************************** From: CCBJ13@ucvax.ulst.ac.uk (Philip Morrow) Subject: SSM Workshop S S M IN C O M P U T I N G A Two Day Workshop on The Use of Soft Systems Methodology in the Determination of Requirements for Computer-Based Systems 11-12 April 1994 Causeway Coast Hotel N. Ireland SOFT SYSTEMS METHODOLOGY (SSM): Why use SSM? * to take account of the total problem situation * to ensure that system development is goal driven * to take a fresh, innovative view of system requirements * to help resolve conflicting requirements. OVERVIEW: The advantages of using SSM in the determination of requirements for computing systems is becoming more widely recognised. This two-day workshop explains the technique, reports on experiences of its use and considers issues that it raises. The first day is an SSM tutorial; the second day deals with SSM experiences and issues. Each day is self-contained and may be booked separately. DAY 1 SSM TUTORIAL: SSM is a general problem solving technique. The tutorial, led by Raymond Oakes of Brian Wilson Associates, will describe the technique and its particular application to computer based systems. To facilitate practical exercises, the tutorial will be limited to 20 participants. DAY 2 EXPERIENCES AND ISSUES: The second day brings together a wide range of experienced speakers from industry and academia to present their personal views of SSM. In the afternoon there will be an opportunity to discuss the questions prompted by the presentations and to consider particular concerns such as the training implications for computing professionals, the linking of SSM to traditional computing based methodologies and the possible use of tool support. PROGRAMME: Day 1 Tutorial 9.00 am Registration 10.00 am Introduction of Soft Systems 10.45 am Working With Perspectives 12.30 pm Lunch 1.30 pm Modelling Perspectives 4.00 pm Using Models for Change 4.45 pm Summary and Close Day 2 Experiences and Issues 9.00 am Registration 9.30 am Welcome 9.35 am Keynote Address: SSM - A Retrospective View Dr Brian Wilson, Brian Wilson Associates 10.30 am SSM - A Civil Service View Professor Des Vincent, Northern Ireland Civil Service & Visiting Professor, Faculty of Informatics, University of Ulster 11.00 am Morning Coffee 11.15 am SSM - A British Telecom View Mr Rob Bryan, British Telecom, London 11.45 am SSM - A Process View Professor Graham Tate & Dr Matthew Lee, City Polytechnic of Hong Kong 12.15 pm SSM - An Information Systems View Professor David Avison, University of Southampton 12.45 pm Lunch 2.00 pm SSM - An Academic View Professor David Bustard, Department of Computing Science, University of Ulster 2.30 pm Group Discussion 3.45 pm Afternoon Tea 4.00 pm Panel Session 4.45 pm Concluding Remarks & Close REGISTRATION FEES: All fees are inclusive of lunch and refreshments. Day 1 #120.00 Stg. (includes copy of "Systems: Concepts, Methodologies and Applications", B Wilson, Wiley 1990) Day 2 #60.00 Stg. (There is a 10% Discount to BCS ISM Special Interest Group Members, and students) ACCOMMODATION: Delegates requiring accommodation should make a booking directly with the Causeway Coast Hotel, 36 Ballyreagh Road, Portrush, Co. Antrim BT56 8LR, (Tel: Portrush (0265) 822435) naming the workshop to obtain the conference rate. ORGANISATION: The event is being organised by the Requirements Definition Group at the University of Ulster (led by Professor David Bustard) in collaboration with the British Computer Society. The event is being partly sponsored by British Telecom, whose support is gratefully acknowledged. FURTHER INFORMATION: A workshop brochure and application form can be obtained from Dr Philip Morrow Tel: (0265) 44141 Ext. 4637/4440 Department of Computing Science Fax: (0265) 40916 University of Ulster at Coleraine Email: p.morrow@uk.ac.ulster.ucvax COLERAINE Co. Londonderry, BT52 1SA ********************************************************************** Subject: Design, Specification, Verification of Interactive Systems From: mdh@minster.ac.uk (Michael Harrison) Eurographics Workshop Design, Specification, Verification of Interactive Systems Call for Contributions Carrara (Italy) 8-10 June 1994 Background: Making systems easier to use implies an ever increasing complexity in managing communication between users and applications. Indeed an increasing part of the application-code is devoted to the user interface portion. In order to manage this complexity, it is very important to have tools, notations, and methodologies which support the designer's work during the refinement process from specification to implementation. Aims and Scope: the purpose of the workshop is to review the state of the art in this area, compare the different existing approaches to this field in order to identify the principal requirements and the most suitable notations, and indicate the meaningful results which can be obtained from them. Contributions are invited on topics such as: - Foundations and Reference Models for Interactive Systems. - Verification of user interfaces, application of theorem-provers. - Methodologies for abstract design, comparative studies of methods/description techniques. - Specification of human-computer interaction, multi-modal user interfaces and virtual realities. - Design of Graphics Systems and Window Systems. - Formal description of users' related properties. - Model-based user interface software tools. Full Papers: Participation will be limited to encourage discussion. Selection will take place on the basis of full papers (up to 15 pages) reviewed by the Programme Committee. Please submit 4 copies to the address below. Papers and conclusions will appear in the workshop proceedings. Invitations to submit revised versions for a book will depend on the quality of the contributions. Participation without submitting a paper may be possible in a few cases, if a position paper is submitted with your views on the topics of the workshop. Schedule: 20 February 1994 Deadline for full papers/position papers 10 April 1994 Notification of participation/acceptance of paper 8-10 June 1994 Workshop The workshop will be held near Pisa (Italy). The fee should be 300.000 Italian Lire for EG members and 350.000 Italian Lire for non EG members including workshop documentation, lunch and one social dinner. Invited Speakers: Jim Foley, GVU Center, Georgia Tech (USA); Philip Barnard, Applied Psychology Unit, MRC (UK). Program Committee: S.Bagnara, D.Duce, G.Faconti, E.Fiume, M.Gangnet, P. ten Hagen, M.Harrison, R.Hartson, D.Olsen, F.Paterno', A.Sutcliffe, P.Sukaviriya, M.Tauber. Information: manuscripts and requests for information should be sent to the workshop secretary: Dott. Fabio Paterno', CNUCE-C.N.R., Via S.Maria 36, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Email: paterno@vm.cnuce.cnr.it; fax: +39 50 589354. **********************************************************************