Das Projekt TESSI beschäftigt sich mit der Entwicklung eines Verfahrens und eines CASE-Werkzeugs zur Analyse von Anforderungstexten und dem parallelen Entwurf eines objektorientierten Modells. Veränderte Anforderungen und geplante Erweiterungen machten eine Überarbeitung der Version 1.1 des Programms TESSI notwendig. Diese Diplomarbeit beschreibt das Reengineering der Altsoftware und den Entwurf sowie die Implementierung der neuen Version 2.0 von TESSI.

Τα σύγχρονα συστήματα παραγωγής πρέπει να λειτουργούν αποδοτικά σε ένα δυναμικά μεταβαλλόμενο περιβάλλον. Ένα βασικό χαρακτηριστικό που πρέπει να λάβουν υπόψη τους οι μηχανικοί στη βιομηχανία είναι η ευελιξία των συστημάτων παραγωγής. Η ευελιξία αναφέρεται στην ικανότητα ενός συστήματος παραγωγής να ανταποκρίνεται και να προσαρμόζεται στις αλλαγές του περιβάλλοντος στο οποίο λειτουργεί. Αλλά η ευελιξία είναι δύσκολο να συμπεριληφθεί στη διαδικασία λήψης αποφάσεων κατά τον σχεδιασμό ή τη λειτουργία ενός συστήματος, αν δεν έχει περιγραφεί ποσοτικά. Ο σκοπός αυτής της διατριβής είναι να αναπτύξει και να επιδείξει μια μέθοδο για την εκτίμηση και ποσοτικοποίηση της ευελιξίας. Η μέθοδος μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί σε πραγματικά προβλήματα στη βιομηχανία και να βοηθήση στη λήψη αποφάσεων σχετικά με τον απαραίτητο βαθμό της ευελιξίας που πρέπει να έχει ένα σύστημα παραγωγής ειδικά στην περίπτωση που υπάρχει αβεβαιότητα και είναι δύσκολο να γίνουν αξιόπιστες προβλέψεις σχετικά με τις απαιτήσεις της αγοράς. Στην διεθνή επιστημονική βιβλιογραφία έχουν καταγραφεί αρκετές εργασίες που προσεγγίζουν το πρόβλημα της εκτίμησης της ευελιξίας ενός συστήματος παραγωγής. Οι περισσότερες όμως από τις εργασίες αντιμετωπίζουν μεμονωμένα προβλήματα, κάτω από ειδικές συνθήκες, που τις περισσότερες φορές αναφέρονται και σε συγκεκριμένους τύπους συστημάτων παραγωγής. Η προτεινόμενη μέθοδος στηρίζεται στη θεώρηση ότι η ευελιξία ενός συστήματος παραγωγής καθορίζεται από την ευαισθησία του στις αλλαγές. Όσο λιγότερο ευαίσθητο ένα σύστημα είναι στις αλλαγές του περιβάλλοντος στο οποίο λειτουργεί τόσο περισσότερο ευέλικτο είναι. Η βασική αυτή θεώρηση εφαρμόζεται μέσω της μέτρησης του εύρους των διαφόρων τιμών του συνολικού κόστους ενός συστήματος παραγωγής. Οι τιμές του συνολικού κόστους υπολογίζεται για καθένα σενάριο από ένα μεγάλο αριθμό πιθανών σεναρίων αγοράς. Στη συνέχεια με στατιστική ανάλυση στις τιμές του συνολικού κόστους οδηγούμαστε σε συμπεράσματα για την ευαισθησία ενός συστήματος παραγωγής σε ένα αβέβαιο περιβάλλον λειτουργίας. Ο υπολογισμός του συνολικού κόστους λαμβάνει υπόψη του διάφορες φάσεις του συστήματος παραγωγής στον κύκλο ζωής του όπως την αρχική επένδυση και το κόστος των αλλαγών. Επιπλέον, για να μπορούν οι διαφορετικές τιμές του κόστους να είναι συγκρίσιμες θα πρέπει να υπολογιστούν με βάση κάποιον κανόνα. Η εργασία αυτή προτείνει έναν τρόπο για την εύρεση του ελάχιστου κόστους στον κύκλο ζωής ενός συστήματος παραγωγής. Η προτεινόμενη μέθοδος εφαρμόζεται σε μια περίπτωση μελέτης στην αυτοκινητοβιομηχανία και τέλος περιγράφεται ένα λογισμικό που υλοποιεί την προτεινόμενη μέθοδο καθώς και η UML (Unified Modelling Language) περιγραφή των βασικών οντοτήτων. / Modern manufacturing firms must learn to operate effectively in very dynamic environments. One key aspect that firms must consider is manufacturing flexibility. Manufacturing flexibility refers to the ability of a manufacturing system to accommodate uncertainty in the production environment. But flexibility cannot be considered in the decision making process if it is not assessed in quantifiable terms. The goal of this dissertation is to develop and demonstrate a practical method to assist manufacturers in managing environmental uncertainty and in determining the appropriate level of flexibility in their production systems. A number of research efforts have been published in the litterature that deal with the scientific issue of flexibility assessment. However, most of the published research work deals with case specific engineering problems, under certain circumstances, and in most of the cases they are applicable to specific types of production system. The approach suggested by the this dissertation considers that manufacturing flexibility is determined by its sensitivity to changes. The less flexible a manufacturing system is the more flexible it should be considered. We consider flexibility during the lifecycle of a system, from initial investment to major reconfiguration. A large number of market scenarios are being considered and the lifecycle cost of the system for all scenarios is calculated. Following, statistical analysis on the lifecycle cost results provides results on the sensitivity of the system to the uncertainty of the market environment. Furthermore, in order to make the lifecycle cost values comparable amongst the different production systems, their minimum value is calculated at a minimum level with the help of a specially developed optimization algorithm. The proposed method is applied in a case study in the automotive industry. Finally, a web-based software package that implements the proposed method along with the UML (Unified Modelling Language) description of the main entities is also being described.

The aim of this master work is to create flexible information system, based on the up-to-date technologies and tailored to the users’ needs. The information system aims to facilitate work, presentation of the information and customers’ service. Joint-stock company “Švaros komanda“ offers waste disposal facilities for citizens and companies. The main goal of this project is to computerize workplace of manager. The data will be stored in the database, created by using Access 2002. The information system helps to solve these goals: • To make contracts with customers; • To create the timetables; • To fix services; • To collect the data from posts ant banks and to import into data base; • Accounts control. The usage of system will simplify system administrator functions and will reduce level of mistakes.

This thesis provides a `proof-of-concept' prototype and a design architecture for a Object Oriented (00) database towards the development of a Decision Support System (DSS) for the national freight transport planning problem. Both governments and industry require a Strategic Planning Extranet Decision Support System (SPEDSS) for their effective management of the national Freight Transport Networks (FTN). This thesis addresses the three key problems for the development of a SPEDSS to facilitate national strategic freight planning: 1) scope and scale of data available and required; 2) scope and scale of existing models; and 3) construction of the software. The research approach taken embodies systems thinking and includes the use of: Object Oriented Analysis and Design (OOA/D) for problem encapsulation and database design; artificial neural network (and proposed rule extraction) for knowledge acquisition of the United States FTN data set; and an iterative Object Oriented (00) software design for the development of a `proof-of-concept' prototype. The research findings demonstrate that an 00 approach along with the use of 00 methodologies and technologies coupled with artificial neural networks (ANNs) offers a robust and flexible methodology for the analysis of the FTN problem domain and the design architecture of an Extranet based SPEDSS. The objectives of this research were to: 1) identify and analyse current problems and proposed solutions facing industry and governments in strategic transportation planning; 2) determine the functional requirements of an FTN SPEDSS; 3) perform a feasibility analysis for building a FTN SPEDSS `proof-of-concept' prototype and (00) database design; 4) develop a methodology for a national `internet-enabled' SPEDSS model and database; 5) construct a `proof-of-concept' prototype for a SPEDSS encapsulating identified user requirements; 6) develop a methodology to resolve the issue of the scale of data and data knowledge acquisition which would act as the `intelligence' within a SPDSS; 7) implement the data methodology using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) towards the validation of it; and 8) make recommendations for national freight transportation strategic planning and further research required to fulfil the needs of governments and industry. This thesis includes: an 00 database design for encapsulation of the FTN; an `internet-enabled' Dynamic Modelling Methodology (DMM) for the virtual modelling of the FTNs; a Unified Modelling Language (UML) `proof-of-concept' prototype; and conclusions and recommendations for further collaborative research are identified.

From the earliest days of mass production in the automotive industry there has been a progressive move towards the use of flexible manufacturing systems that cater for product variants that meet market demands. In recent years this market has become more demanding with pressures from legislation, globalisation and increased customer expectations. This has lead to the current trends of mass customisation in production. In order to support this manufacturing systems are not only becoming more flexible† to cope with the increased product variants, but also more agile‡ such that they may respond more rapidly to market changes. Modularisation§ is widely used to increase the agility of automation systems, such that they may be more readily reconfigured¶. Also with globalisation into India and Asia semi-automatic machines (machines that interact with human operators) are more frequently used to reduce capital outlay and increase flexibility. There is an increasing need for tools and methodologies that support this in order to improve design robustness, reduce design time and gain a competitive edge in the market. The research presented in this thesis is built upon the work from COMPAG/COMPANION (COMponent- based Paradigm for AGile automation, and COmmon Model for PArtNers in automatION), and as part of the BDA (Business Driven Automation), SOCRADES (Service Oriented Cross-layer infrastructure for Distributed smart Embedded deviceS), and IMC-AESOP (ArchitecturE for Service- Oriented Process – monitoring and control) projects conducted at Loughborough University UK. This research details the design and implementation of a toolkit for building and simulating automation systems comprising components with behaviour described using Finite State Machines (FSM). The research focus is the development of the engineering toolkit that can support the automation system lifecycle from initial design through commissioning to maintenance and reconfiguration as well as the integration of a virtual human. This is achieved using a novel data structure that supports component definitions for control, simulation, maintenance and the novel integration of a virtual human into the automation system operation.

A UML é uma linguagem de modelagem largamente aceite entre profissionais da área de computação para a modelagem de sistemas simples e complexos. Tomando em consideração que os objetos de aprendizagem são entidades digitais, para o seu desenvolvimento, a utilização de metodologias torna-se um imperativo, se o objetivo for o de oferecer ao setor de educação ferramentas capazes de apoiar o processo de ensino aprendizagem. Os objetos de aprendizagem são ferramentas que podem contribuir para o aluno alcançar a aprendizagem significativa, se forem desenvolvidos dentro dos parâmetros considerados facilitadores da aprendizagem significativa. A presente pesquisa propõe uma metodologia alicerçada na aprendizagem significativa, denominada Metodologia de Modelagem de objetos de aprendizagem em UML (MOAUML) baseada em princípios de UML e de Design Instrucional, para a modelagem de objetos de aprendizagem, com vista a facilitar o desenvolvimento de objetos de aprendizagem que favoreçam a aprendizagem. Objetivando a validação da metodologia, equipes com diferentes perfis profissionais, modelaram 9 objetos de aprendizagem entre novos e legados. O resultado das modelagens mostrou que a utilização da MOAUML contribui para a facilidade na modelagem de objetos de aprendizagem, embora tenha sido mais fácil para equipes que já estavam familiarizadas com métodos de modelagem de software. / The UML is a widely accepted modelling language among computer specialists from simple to complex systems. In order to develop learning objects as digital entities, it is very important the utilization of any methodology aiming to deliver to the education sector capable tools for supporting the process of teaching learning. The learning objects are powerful tools that can contribute for student’s achievement of meaningful learning. This fact can be true only if the development procedures satisfied some characteristics considered facilitators of meaningful learning. This study proposes a methodology based on the meaningful learning, designated Modelling of Learning Objects Using UML (MOAUML) based on principles of UML and Instructional Design, for the modelling of learning objects targeting to facilitate the development of learning objects that promote meaningful learning. In order to validate the MOAUML, different teams with distinguish profiles, were modelled 9 learning objects among news and legacies. The results of that process disclosed that the use of MOAUML contributes to the ease of modelling learning objects, although it has been easier for teams that were already familiar with software modelling processes.

A UML é uma linguagem de modelagem largamente aceite entre profissionais da área de computação para a modelagem de sistemas simples e complexos. Tomando em consideração que os objetos de aprendizagem são entidades digitais, para o seu desenvolvimento, a utilização de metodologias torna-se um imperativo, se o objetivo for o de oferecer ao setor de educação ferramentas capazes de apoiar o processo de ensino aprendizagem. Os objetos de aprendizagem são ferramentas que podem contribuir para o aluno alcançar a aprendizagem significativa, se forem desenvolvidos dentro dos parâmetros considerados facilitadores da aprendizagem significativa. A presente pesquisa propõe uma metodologia alicerçada na aprendizagem significativa, denominada Metodologia de Modelagem de objetos de aprendizagem em UML (MOAUML) baseada em princípios de UML e de Design Instrucional, para a modelagem de objetos de aprendizagem, com vista a facilitar o desenvolvimento de objetos de aprendizagem que favoreçam a aprendizagem. Objetivando a validação da metodologia, equipes com diferentes perfis profissionais, modelaram 9 objetos de aprendizagem entre novos e legados. O resultado das modelagens mostrou que a utilização da MOAUML contribui para a facilidade na modelagem de objetos de aprendizagem, embora tenha sido mais fácil para equipes que já estavam familiarizadas com métodos de modelagem de software. / The UML is a widely accepted modelling language among computer specialists from simple to complex systems. In order to develop learning objects as digital entities, it is very important the utilization of any methodology aiming to deliver to the education sector capable tools for supporting the process of teaching learning. The learning objects are powerful tools that can contribute for student’s achievement of meaningful learning. This fact can be true only if the development procedures satisfied some characteristics considered facilitators of meaningful learning. This study proposes a methodology based on the meaningful learning, designated Modelling of Learning Objects Using UML (MOAUML) based on principles of UML and Instructional Design, for the modelling of learning objects targeting to facilitate the development of learning objects that promote meaningful learning. In order to validate the MOAUML, different teams with distinguish profiles, were modelled 9 learning objects among news and legacies. The results of that process disclosed that the use of MOAUML contributes to the ease of modelling learning objects, although it has been easier for teams that were already familiar with software modelling processes.

Context-aware computing envisions a new generation of smart applications that have the ability to perpetually sense the user’s context and use these data to make adaptation decision in response to changes in the user’s context so as to provide timely and personalized services anytime and anywhere. Unlike the traditional distribution systems where the network topology is fixed and wired, context-aware computing systems are mostly based on wireless communication due to the mobility of the network nodes; hence the network topology is not fixed but changes dynamically in an unpredictable manner as nodes join and the leave network, in addition to the fact that wireless communication is unstable. These factors make the design and development of context-aware computing systems much more challenging, as the system requirements change depending on the context of use. The Unified Modelling Language (UML) is a graphical language commonly used to specify, visualize, construct, and document the artefacts of software-intensive systems. However, UML is an all-purpose modelling language and does not have notations to distinguish context-awareness requirements from other system requirements. This is critical for the specification, visualization, construction and documentation of context-aware computing systems because context-awareness requirements are highly important in these systems. This thesis proposes an extension of UML diagrams to cater for the specification, visualization, construction and documentation of context-aware computing systems where new notations are introduced to model context-awareness requirements distinctively from other system requirements. The contributions of this work can be summarized as follows: (i) A context-aware use case diagram is a new notion which merges into a single diagram the traditional use case diagram (that describes the functions of an application) and the use context diagram, which specifies the context information upon which the behaviours of these functions depend. (ii) A Novel notion known as a context-aware activity diagram is presented, which extends the traditional UML activity diagrams to enable the representation of context objects, context constraints and adaptation activities. Context constraints express conditions upon context object attributes that trigger adaptation activities; adaptation activities are activities that must be performed in response to specific changes in the system’s context. (iii) A novel notion known as the context-aware class diagram is presented, which extends the traditional UML class diagrams to enable the representation of context information that affect the behaviours of a class. A new relationship, called utilisation, between a UML class and a context class is used to model context objects; meaning that the behaviours of the UML class depend upon the context information represented by the context class. Hence a context-aware class diagram is a rich and expressive language that distinctively depicts both the structure of classes and that of the contexts upon which they depend. The pragmatics of the proposed approach are demonstrated using two real-world case studies.

This paper proposes a holistic approach to designing for the promotion of team and social competences in blended learning courses. Planning and modelling cooperative learning scenarios based on a domain specific modelling notation in the style of UML activity diagrams, and comparing evaluation results with planned outcomes allows for iterative optimization of a course's design. In a case study - a course on project management for computer science students - the instructional design including individual and cooperative learning situations was modelled. Specific emphasis was put on visualising the hypothesised development of team competences in the course design models. These models were subsequently compared to evaluation results obtained during the course. The results show that visual modelling of planned competence promotion enables more focused design, implementation and evaluation of collaborative learning scenarios.

Das Projekt TESSI beschäftigt sich mit der Entwicklung eines Verfahrens und eines CASE-Werkzeugs zur Analyse von Anforderungstexten und dem parallelen Entwurf eines objektorientierten Modells. Veränderte Anforderungen und geplante Erweiterungen machten eine Überarbeitung der Version 1.1 des Programms TESSI notwendig. Diese Diplomarbeit beschreibt das Reengineering der Altsoftware und den Entwurf sowie die Implementierung der neuen Version 2.0 von TESSI.