Modeling Uncertain and Imprecise Information in Process

Modeling with UML

Jing XIAO

LATTIS, INSA-Toulouse, France

jxiao@etud.insa-toulouse.fr

14th International Conference on Management of Data COMAD 2008, December 17-19, 2008 Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India

Table of contents

1. Context and problem

2. Objectives

3. What types of uncertainty and imprecision are in product development processes ?

4. How to use UML to model uncertainty and imprecision ?

5. Conclusions and Perspectives

1. Context and problem

Product Development (PD) processes Processes modeling with Unified Modeling

Language (UML)

Exchanged information is often incomplete, vague and not entirely determined at the beginning of the project and during its evolution.

2. Objectives

Identify uncertainty and imprecision related to product development (PD) process.

Meta-modeling of identified uncertainty and imprecision.

Integrate uncertainty and imprecision representation in UML-based project with a new UML profile “Uncertainty-of” and “Imprecision-of”.

3. What types of uncertainty and imprecision are in product development processes ?

Role uncertainty and imprecision. Activity uncertainty and imprecision. Deliverable uncertainty and imprecision. Iteration uncertainty and imprecision.

4. How to use UML to model uncertainty and imprecision ?

4.1 UML extension mechanisms.

4.2 The modeling workflow.

4.3 Validation of the modeling workflow.

4.1 UML extension mechanisms

Extension mechanisms are the means for extending UML at the meta-model level to support a new technology. Three concepts are used :

Stereotypes Tagged values Constraints

4.2 The modeling workflow

4.3 Validation of the modeling workflow

4.3.1 Meta-model of “uncertainty-of”

4.3.2 New UML profile and its application

4.3.1 Meta-model of “uncertainty-of” (partial)

4.3.2 New UML profile and its application

We created the new profile - “uncertainty-of” profile - semi-automatically with a new prototype tool named Meta-Model To UML Profile (MM2UP) based on an Eclipse platform, proposed by one of the authors Vincent Aranega.

4.3.2 New UML profile and its application

Partial list of stereotypes of the new profile

4.3.2 New UML profile and its application

Application of this profile

5. Conclusions and Perspectives

We have : identified four types of uncertainty and imprecision related to PD

processes;

proposed a new Unified Modeling Language (UML) profile to integrate description of imperfect information.

We will : refine our meta-models’ textual descriptions for the naming rules,

legality rules and semantics;

propose a framework for uncertainty and imprecision management in product design process, planning and evolution.

Thank You!