Building a shared understanding of non-functional requirements (NFRs) is a known but understudied challenge in requirements engineering, primarily in organizations that adopt continuous software engineering (CSE) practices. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many CSE organizations complied with working remotely due to the imposed health restrictions; some continued with remote work while implementing business processes to facilitate team communication and productivity. In remote CSE organizations, managing NFRs becomes more challenging due to the limitations to team communication coupled with the incentive to deliver products quickly. While previous research has identified the factors that lead to a lack of shared understanding of NFRs in CSE, we still have a significant gap in understanding how CSE organizations, particularly in remote work, build a shared understanding of NFRs in their software development. This thesis presents a study that explores how a remote CSE organization builds a shared understanding of NFRs. We conducted a six-month case study of a remote CSE organization using ethnography-informed methods and methods from grounded theory. Through thematic analysis of our qualitative data from interviews and observations, we identify some practices in building a shared understanding of NFRs, such as validating NFRs through feedback. In addition, we identified some of the impediments to building a shared understanding of NFRs in the organization, such as gaps in communication and the limited understanding of customer context. Furthermore, we conducted member-checking interviews to validate our findings for relevance and to gain additional insights on the shared understanding of NFRs within the organization. The collaborative workspace the organization uses for remote interaction is Gather, which simulates physical workspaces, and which our findings suggest allows for informal communications instrumental for building shared understanding. As actionable insights, we discuss our findings in light of proactive practices that represent opportunities for software organizations to invest in building a shared understanding of NFRs in their development. / Graduate

Yes / This article presents the application of the Enhanced Sequence Diagram (ESD) for the analysis of the functionality of a system with shape-changing aspects in the context of its multiple operational modes, considering an active rear spoiler as a case study. The article provides new insights on the ESD support for model-based capture and articulation of functional requirements across multiple operation modes of the same system, with appropriate detail on attributes and metrics, and the alignment of these attributes and metrics in line with the concept of time through scope lines. The article also provides a comprehensive argument and discussion, exemplified based on the case study, for the support that the ESD provides for early systems functional and architecture analysis, within the context of a broader model-based Failure Mode Analysis methodology.

Yes / This paper introduces a rigorous framework for function modelling of complex multi-disciplinary systems based on the System State Flow Diagram (SSFD). The work addresses the need for a consistent methodology to support solution neutral function based system decomposition analysis, facilitating the design, modelling and analysis of complex systems architectures. A rigorous basis for the SSFD is established by defining conventions for states and function definition and representation scheme, underpinned by a critical review of existing literature. A set of heuristics are introduced to support the function decomposition analysis and to facilitate the deployment of the methodology with strong practitioner guidelines. The SSFD heuristics extend the existing framework of Otto and Wood (2001) by introducing a conditional fork node heuristic, to facilitate analysis and aggregation of function models across multiple modes of operation of the system. The empirical validation of the SSFD function modelling framework is discussed in relation to its application to two case studies: (i) a benchmark problem (Glue Gun) set for the engineering design community; and (ii) an industrial case study of an electric vehicle powertrain. Based on the evidence from the two case studies presented in the paper, a critical evaluation of the SSFD function modelling methodology is presented based on the function benchmarking framework established by Summers et al (2013), considering the representation, modelling, cognitive and reasoning characteristics. The significance of this paper is that it establishes a rigorous reference framework for the SSFD function representation and a consistent methodology to guide the practitioner with its deployment, facilitating its impact to industrial practice.

Yes / This paper introduces an Enhanced Sequence Diagram (ESD) as the basis for a structured framework for the functional analysis of complex multidisciplinary systems. The ESD extends the conventional sequence diagrams (SD) by introducing a rigorous functional flow-based modelling schemata to provide an enhanced basis for model-based functional requirements and architecture analysis in the early systems design stages. The proposed ESD heuristics include the representation of transactional and transformative functions required to deliver the use case sequence, and fork and join nodes to facilitate analysis of combining and bifurcating operations on flows. A case study of a personal mobility device is used to illustrate the deployment of the ESD methodology in relation to three common product development scenarios: (i) reverse engineering, (ii) the introduction of a specific technology to an existent system; and (iii) the introduction of a new feature as user-centric innovation for an existing system, at a logical design level, without reference to any solution. The case study analysis provides further insights into the effectiveness of the ESD to support function modelling and functional requirements capture, and architecture development. The significance of this paper is that it establishes a rigorous ESD-based functional analysis methodology to guide the practitioner with its deployment, facilitating its impact to both the engineering design and systems engineering communities, as well as the design practice in the industry.

Embedded systems have become pervasive and increasingly complex, especially in modern applications such as self-driving vehicles, where safety requires both accurate functionality and real-time guarantees. However, the complexity and the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms in autonomous systems challenge conventional test-based verification methods. Given the continuous evolution and deployment of these systems, verification must keep pace to ensure their reliability and safety. Runtime verification is a promising approach for validating system behaviors during execution using monitors derived from formal system specifications. The adoption of runtime monitoring has historically been limited to experts, primarily due to the esoteric formal notations and verification processes. To overcome this barrier, this dissertation presents GROOT, a novel methodology and framework designed to automate synthesis of hardware and/or software monitors from pseudo- English statements. The automatic steps include translating English properties to formalisms, converting the formalisms into monitor automata, and formally verifying the monitors. GROOT addresses the distinction between functional and timing requirements inherent in real-time embedded systems by providing distinct pseudo-English languages and synthesis flows. This dual approach allows customized verification processes for each category. To make the monitor structure simple, monitor inputs and responses are handled in separate external modules, allowing formal analysis methods to be used. The synthesized monitors can assist system development and be retained in fielded systems. Their lightweight nature enables the deployment of multiple monitors, each focusing on specific circumstances independently and concurrently. Monitor implementations can range from sequential software to parallel hardware, allowing for flexibility in meeting various system constraints. By eliminating the need for manual code generation and verification, GROOT allows practitioners to synthesize monitors without requiring a formal methods background. / Doctor of Philosophy / An embedded system is a computer system that is embedded into a device to perform specific tasks. These systems are designed to function within the device they are built into and are often found in everyday technologies such as cars, household appliances and medical devices. They are programmed to carry out particular functions or operations automatically, without needing human intervention. These systems rely on precise timing and flawless functionality to operate safely and efficiently. However, ensuring that they work as intended, especially as they grow more complex and interconnected, presents significant hurdles. Traditional methods of verifying embedded systems rely on manual testing, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors. To address this issue, this dissertation introduces GROOT, a novel methodology and framework designed to automate the process of monitoring these systems in real-time. GROOT simplifies this complex task by automatically generating monitors from simple English statements. These monitors act as vigilant watchdogs, continuously checking whether the system behaves as intended and responds appropriately to its environment. This automation makes the verification process more efficient and less error-prone. This framework handles both functional requirements (ensuring the system performs its intended tasks) and timing requirements (ensuring tasks are completed within specific time frames). GROOT also offers flexibility in how monitors are implemented, allowing them to be tailored to specific hardware or software configurations. This flexibility allows GROOT's monitors to adapt to various applications, from small-scale prototypes to large-scale deployments.

Magister Library and Information Studies - MLIS / Although Resource Description and Access (RDA) has been discussed extensively amongst the ranks of cataloguers internationally, no research on the perceptions of South African cataloguers was available at the time of this research. The aim of this study was to determine how well RDA was faring during the study's timeframe, to give a detailed description regarding cataloguer perceptions within a higher education setting in South Africa. Furthermore, to determine whether the implementation of RDA has overcome most of the limitations that AACR2 had within a digital environment, to identify advantages and/or perceived limitations of RDA as well as to assist cataloguers to adopt and implement the new standard effectively. The study employed a qualitative research design assisted by a phenomenological philosophy to gain insight into how cataloguers experienced the implementation and adoption of RDA by means of two concurrent web-based questionnaires. The study concluded that higher education cataloguing professionals residing in the Western Cape were decidedly positive towards the new cataloguing standard. Although there were some initial reservations, they were overcome to such an extent that ultimately no real limitations were identified, and that RDA has indeed overcome most of the limitations displayed by AACR2. Many advantages of RDA were identified, and participants expressed excitement about the future capabilities of RDA as it continues toward a link-data milieu, making library metadata more easily available.

Magister Library and Information Studies - MLIS / Although Resource Description and Access (RDA) has been discussed extensively amongst the ranks of cataloguers internationally, no research on the perceptions of South African cataloguers was available at the time of this research. The aim of this study was to determine how well RDA was faring during the study's timeframe, to give a detailed description regarding cataloguer perceptions within a higher education setting in South Africa. Furthermore, to determine whether the implementation of RDA has overcome most of the limitations that AACR2 had within a digital environment, to identify advantages and/or perceived limitations of RDA as well as to assist cataloguers to adopt and implement the new standard effectively. The study employed a qualitative research design assisted by a phenomenological philosophy to gain insight into how cataloguers experienced the implementation and adoption of RDA by means of two concurrent web-based questionnaires. The study concluded that higher education cataloguing professionals residing in the Western Cape were decidedly positive towards the new cataloguing standard. Although there were some initial reservations, they were overcome to such an extent that ultimately no real limitations were identified, and that RDA has indeed overcome most of the limitations displayed by AACR2. Many advantages of RDA were identified, and participants expressed excitement about the future capabilities of RDA as it continues toward a link-data milieu, making library metadata more easily available. As this research has revealed a distinctly positive attitude from cataloguers' two main matters for future research remains, being: ? Why South African participants in this study voiced almost no perceived limitations to RDA as a cataloguing standard. Future research might be able to relay information regarding this trend, especially in the light that it was not a global phenomenon. ? A deeper look might have to be taken at how participants' experienced RDA training as this phenomenon might be closely linked to the reasons why the participants did not mention more limitations.

Gränssnittsdesign är en av de viktigaste aktiviteterna vid systemutveckling, eftersom gränssnittet utgör den beståndsdel för vilket slutanvändare kommer göra sin primära helhetsbedömning av systemet utefter. Det innebär att gränssnittsdesignarbetet har en avgörande roll för hur systemet kommer att mottas och bedömas vid leverans och upphandlingar av system. Att designa tillfredställande gränssnitt handlar om att ta hänsyn till en rad olika human computer interaction (HCI)-aspekter. Dessa är användbarhet, användarupplevelse samt estetik, det vill säga hur visuellt tilltalande gränssnittet är. Följande tre aspekter kommer på olika sätt påverka hur en användare upplever ett system, vilket i sin tur kommer påverka huruvida en beställare är beredd att investera i ett system. Att utveckla gränssnitt för system innebär ofta att designers och utvecklare måste göra avvägningar kring i vilken mån en designer skall få realisera gränssnittsdesign. Detta eftersom en samansättning av för många visuella gränssnittselement kan få inverkan på systemets prestanda. Stundtals hamnar de två elementen, visuella designattribut och systemkrav, i konflikt med varandra och i de fall där de senare föregår designattribut ställs gränssnittsdesigners inför en utmaning eftersom att de bli begränsade i sitt arbete. Trots detta ställs dock samma krav på att designers skall uppnå tilltalande gränssnitt som väcker känslor av professionalism, samtidigt som systemet skall bibehålla optimal systemprestanda och funktionalitet.Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur ett tillfredställande gränssnitt i aspekter av estetik, användbarhet och användarupplevelse kan designas i ett standardsystem när designarbete begränsas till att enbart kunna justera placering och färg av gränssnittselement. Detta har inneburit en designforskningsansats bestående av en iterativ utvecklingsprocess där ett gränssnitt designat och realiserat baserat på av teorin förslagna riktlinjer för gränssnittsdesign som fortfarande har varit möjliga att tillämpa trots designarbetets begränsningar. Gränssnittet har därefter utvärderats genom experiment i form av användbarhetstester och expertutvärdering. Empirisk data från utvärderingarna har därefter analyserats och införlivats i gränssnittet och slutligen har en slutsats genererats och presenterats.Studiens resultat visar att genom en kombination av befintliga teoribaserade riktlinjer kommer designers en god bit på väg för att lyckas design tillfredställande gränssnitt i aspekter av estetik, användbarhet och användarupplevelse. I slutet av studien presenteras detta i form av sju nya riktlinjer. Variabeln användarupplevelse visade sig dock vara svårare att designa för i studiens begränsade kontext. Detta beror på att användarupplevelse är en svår variabel att utvärdera på grund av dess subtila natur. Slutligen presenteras förslag för framtida forskning och på vilket sätt studiens resultat vidare bör beprövas. / User-Interface design is one of the most important aspects of development of a system, as the user-interface is one of the elements that the user primarily will take in consideration when assessing a system. This means that user-interface design plays an important role in how the system will be received and assessed at procurement. A designer has to consider a couple of human computer interaction (HCI)-aspects such as usability, user experience, and aesthetics, in order to design a satisfactory user-interface. These three aspects of human computer interaction affect user experience of a system, which will influence a client’s decision on investment in the system. Designing a user-interface of a system often means that designers and developers have to consider the extent to which a designer can implement their version of the interface. A composition of many visual interface elements can have an impact on the systems performance. Sometimes the visual design attributes can conflict with the system requirements. If designers are challenged system requirements are prioritised because they will be limited in their work. Despite those limitations, the designers are still needed to design an appealing user-interface that can invoke feelings of professionalism, parallel to the system requirement of optimal performance and functionality.The purpose of this study was to explore how an appealing user-interface with regards to aesthetics, usability and user experience can be designed when the design work is limited to only be able to adjust placement and visual appearance in terms of names and colour of UI elements. This has been explored by doing an iterative development process in which an interface has been designed and developed based on guidelines from theory on user-interface design which the authors has been able to implement based on the limitations on the design work. The interface has subsequently been evaluated by experiments in terms of usability tests and an expert evaluation in the form of a heuristic evaluation. The evaluations resulted in empirical data which has been analysed and set against existing theory upon which a conclusion has been generated and presented.The result of the study show that designers are well on the way to successfully design an appealing user-interface in relation to aesthetic, usability and user experience, which the authors presents in the form of seven new guidelines. The variable user experience turned out to be more difficult to design in the study’s limited context. The authors believe that one of the reasons for this is that user experience is difficult to evaluate because of its subtle nature. Lastly we present suggestions for future research and how the results of the study should be further proved.

В данной диссертации рассмотрен анализ функциональных и нефункциональных требований для проектирования информационного сервиса, предназначенного для управляющей компании и жильцов с использованием цифровой эксплуатационной модели здания. В работе проведен анализ текущих методов управления эксплуатацией зданий и информационных систем, используемых в этой сфере. На основе полученных данных выявлены ключевые проблемы и недостатки существующих решений, что подтвердило необходимость разработки нового информационного сервиса. Исследование включает в себя детальный анализ потребностей различных стейкхолдеров, таких как управляющие компании, технический персонал и жильцы. Выявленные потребности были использованы для формулирования функциональных и нефункциональных требований к системе. В результате работы были подготовлены подробные требования к информационному сервису, которые могут служить основой для последующей разработки и внедрения системы. Эти требования обеспечат создание универсального и гибкого сервиса, адаптируемого под различные типы жилых объектов и потребности пользователей. Подготовленные требования прошли валидацию с участием стейкхолдеров, что подтверждает их актуальность и применимость. Результаты исследования создают базу для дальнейшей разработки информационного сервиса, направленного на повышение эффективности управления эксплуатацией зданий и улучшение качества жизни жильцов. / This dissertation examines the analysis of functional and non-functional requirements for designing an information service intended for management companies and residents using a digital operational model of the building. The study includes an analysis of current methods of building operation management and information systems used in this field. Based on the data obtained, key problems and shortcomings of existing solutions were identified, confirming the need to develop a new information service. The research involves a detailed analysis of the needs of various stakeholders, such as management companies, technical staff, and residents. The identified needs were used to formulate the functional and non-functional requirements for the system. As a result of the work, detailed requirements for the information service were prepared, which can serve as a basis for the subsequent development and implementation of the system. These requirements will ensure the creation of a universal and flexible service, adaptable to various types of residential properties and user needs. The prepared requirements were validated with the participation of stakeholders, confirming their relevance and applicability. The results of the research provide a foundation for the further development of an information service aimed at improving the efficiency of building operation management and enhancing the quality of life for residents.

Este trabalho discorre sobre o estudo da utilização do método de avaliação ATAM como referência para um roteiro para evolução arquitetural. O estudo apresentado está dividido em duas partes: a elaboração de um roteiro para evolução de software e a aplicação do roteiro em um ambiente real de um sistema para automação de linhas aéreas. O objetivo é avaliar o uso do método de avaliação de arquitetura para direcionar a evolução do software. As diretrizes geradas neste trabalho orientam as ações a serem tomadas com base em evidências obtidas pela avaliação, possibilitando ao software que exiba os atributos de qualidade desejados. / This paper discusses the study of the use of ATAM evaluation method as a reference to a roadmap for architectural evolution. The present study is divided into two parts: the preparation of a roadmap for software development and implementation of the roadmap in a real environment of a system for automation of airlines. The goal is to evaluate the use of architecture evaluation method to direct the evolution of software. The guidelines generated in this work have guided the actions to be taken based on evidence obtained by the evaluation, enabling the software that displays the desired quality attributes.