Software quality attributes are properties that reflect the quality of a software system, and Non-functional requirements (NFRs) are the specifications that define how a software system should perform to reach a desired level of goals of the quality attributes.The evaluation of quality attributes is important to show the effectiveness of a system in meeting customers' NFRs. Continuous integration (CI) environments have emerged as powerful platforms for organizations to improve software quality through automated software verification and validation.Despite this, there is a growing need for evaluating quality attributes that is often met by in-house development of metrics and tools.This highlights the importance of quality attributes for software product quality. This thesis investigates the association between quality attributes and components of a CI environment, as well as how to utilize these components for evaluating software quality attributes.The focus is on improving the knowledge of the evaluation and providing specific recommendations for companies to enhance their CI environments for higher demands of quality evaluation.The contributions of this thesis include a better understanding of the relationship between quality attributes and CI components, and a set of practical guidelines for companies to effectively leverage CI for quality attribute evaluation. The studies in this thesis utilized mixed methodologies, including a systematic literature review, a multi-case study conducted in four software development companies, and an synthesis of the collected data.The multi-case study provided a comprehensive overview of practices for quality attribute evaluation and how CI components can generate data to support the evaluation of specific attributes.The synthesis study presents a maturity model based on the collected data from both academia and industry, and the model can aid organizations in assessing their current level of maturity in utilizing CI environments to identify potential improvements.The results in these studies show the capabilities of different components of a CI environment and how these components can be used to support the evaluation of quality attributes.While the use of CI environments for the thesis topic offers benefits, it also presents several challenges, for example, the challenge to identify effective quality metrics. In conclusion, this thesis contributes to the understanding of the use of CI environments for evaluating software quality attributes.The results suggest that CI environments can be an effective approach for quality attribute evaluation, but suitable metrics need to be considered to ensure accurate and meaningful evaluation results. Furthermore, the thesis presents areas for future research, such as the use of machine learning techniques to improve the accuracy of quality assessment using CI environments.

[pt] A análise de requisitos não funcionais (RNF) é um desafio e vem sendo explorado na literatura científica. Tal iniciativa deve-se ao fato da existência do problema de se verificar o uso das operacionalizações desse tipo de requisito no software construído. Nessa tese apresenta-se um método, com técnicas e ferramentas de apoio, que analisam se um software está em conformidade com padrões de RNFs estabelecidos em catálogo como alternativa para o problema de análise de RNF. A estratégia adotada nessa tese utiliza agentes autônomos para análise de conformidade de software em relação a operacionalizações de RNF. Para isso, utiliza uma base de conhecimentos de padrões persistidos em um catálogo. Os resultados parciais são indicativos de que a proposta de solução é aplicável. A avaliação da validade dá-se por demonstração de que um método parcialmente automatizado é eficaz na identificação de conformidades. Um diferencial do trabalho apresentado é a ligação dos RNFs a sua efetiva implementação. Para demonstração da tese aplicou-se e customizou-se uma técnica de padrões de RNFs, baseados em orientação a metas, em estudos de caso de exemplos do cotidiano prático de software. Apresentamos também a construção de um framework de agentes, que operam sob notações XML para identificar conformidades de software em relação a um catálogo de RNF. / [en] The analysis of non-functional requirements (NFR) is a challenge and has been explored in the literature. This initiative is due to the fact of the existence of the problem of analysis the use of the NFRs operationalization in software. In this thesis we present a method, with supporting tools and techniques, that checks, if a software complies with standards of non-functional requirements as described in a catalog, as an alternative to the NFR analysis problem. The strategy adopted in this thesis uses autonomous agents to check software compliance regarding the operationalization of an NFR, by using a knowledge base of patterns persisted in a catalog. Initial results show that the proposed solution is applicable. The evaluation of the validity is given by the demonstration that a partially automated method is effective in identifying compliance. This work differs form others by linking NFRs to their effective implementation. A method based on patterns NFRs was used in common software, as to show the application of the proposed strategy. An agent based framework, working with XML descriptions, for checking software compliance with respect to a NFR catalog was built.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:48:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FabioAGS_DISSERT.pdf: 1631308 bytes, checksum: cb5c8aa720129c7e7b32a24acd2a4b2c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-07-30 / The importance of non-functional requirements for computer systems is increasing. Satisfying these requirements requires special attention to the software architecture, since an unsuitable architecture introduces greater complexity in addition to the intrinsic complexity of the system. Some studies have shown that, despite requirements engineering and software architecture activities act on different aspects of development, they must be performed iteratively and intertwined to produce satisfactory software systems. The STREAM process presents a systematic approach to reduce the gap between requirements and architecture development, emphasizing the functional requirements, but using the non-functional requirements in an ad hoc way. However, non-functional requirements typically influence the system as a whole. Thus, the STREAM uses Architectural Patterns to refine the software architecture. These patterns are chosen by using non-functional requirements in an ad hoc way. This master thesis presents a process to improve STREAM in making the choice of architectural patterns systematic by using non-functional requirements, in order to guide the refinement of a software architecture / Cada vez mais os sistemas computacionais precisam satisfazer requisitos n?ofuncionais. No entanto a satisfa??o destes requisitos exige uma aten??o especial j? que s?o requisitos que devem ser levados em considera??o pelas arquiteturas de software que representam esses sistemas. Uma arquitetura de software inadequada introduz uma complexidade maior, al?m da complexidade intr?nseca do sistema. Al?m disso, estudos mostram que apesar das atividades de engenharia de requisitos e de arquitetura de software atuarem em diferentes aspectos do desenvolvimento, ? preciso execut?- las de forma iterativa e entrela?ada para produzir sistemas computacionais satisfat?rios. Com o objetivo de diminuir a lacuna existente entre requisitos de software e o desenvolvimento de uma arquitetura de software que reflita esses requisitos, foi proposto o processo STREAM (Strategy for Transition between REquirements models and Architectural Models). O STREAM consiste de uma abordagem sistem?tica que enfatiza os requisitos funcionais, sendo os n?o-funcionais usados de forma ad hoc. Entretanto, os requisitos n?o-funcionais normalmente impactam o sistema como um todo. Assim, a maneira proposta pelo STREAM para fazer com que a arquitetura de software desenvolvida reflita os Requisitos N?o-Funcionais elicitados no modelo de requisitos ? atrav?s do refinamento da arquitetura usando padr?es arquiteturais escolhidos com base nos requisitos n?o-funcionais. No STREAM a escolha desses padr?es ? realizada de forma ad hoc. Com o objetivo de sistematizar a forma de escolha dos padr?es arquiteturais, esta disserta??o prop?e um processo para sistematizar a escolha desses padr?es, a partir de requisitos n?o-funcionais racionalizados, que ser?o usados para refinar arquitetura de software

En conception de systèmes mécaniques, la phase de cotation fonctionnelle consiste à affecter des cotes, constituées d’une valeur nominale et d’un intervalle de tolérance, à des dimensions de pièces. En particulier, l’analyse des tolérances consiste à vérifier que les intervalles de tolérance choisis permettent le respect de la fonctionnalité du mécanisme. A l’inverse, la synthèse des tolérances vise à déterminer ces intervalles de tolérance, si possible de manière optimale, permettant le respect des exigences fonctionnelles. Les approches statistiques traditionnelles, bien que très utiles en phase de préconception, ne sont pas capables d’estimer avec précision le risque de non qualité. Cette thèse aborde ces problèmes selon un angle de vue différent, non plus pour garantir le respect d’exigences fonctionnelles, mais pour garantir le Taux de Non-Conformité (TNC) du mécanisme. Il s’agit de la probabilité que l’exigence fonctionnelle ne soit pas respectée. Les méthodes fiabilistes, s’appuyant sur la théorie des probabilités, permettent un calcul précis et efficace de cet indicateur. L’objectif de cette thèse est d’explorer le domaine de l’analyse et de la synthèse des tolérances afin d’identifier et d’exposer les apports des méthodes fiabilistes sur ces problématiques. Dans ces travaux de thèse, différents outils fiabilistes sont mis à disposition permettant l’analyse des tolérances de tous types de mécanismes avec ou sans jeu. La théorie probabiliste permet une modélisation très complète des dimensions des pièces. En particulier, l’approche APTA (Advanced Probability-based Tolerance Analysis of products) est développée afin de prendre en compte l’évolution aléatoire de certains paramètres de modélisation, notamment les décalages de moyenne, responsables de fortes variations du TNC. L’analyse des tolérances étant plus complexe pour les mécanismes avec jeux, une méthodologie spécifique a été développée basée sur une décomposition en situations de points de contacts et l’utilisation d’une méthode fiabiliste système. Différents indices de sensibilité sont aussi proposés afin d’aider à identifier les cotes ayant le plus d’influence sur le TNC d’un mécanisme. Enfin, l’optimisation du coût de production, sous contrainte de TNC, permet une synthèse des tolérances optimale. Les gains potentiels en termes de coût dépassent 50% par rapport aux conceptions initiales tout en maitrisant le niveau de qualité du produit. Les sociétés RADIALL SA et VALEO Système d’Essuyages, concepteurs et fabricants de produits pour l’automobile et l’aéronautique, ont proposé des cas d’études sur lesquels est démontrée la pertinence des travaux effectués. Sur la base de ces travaux, Phimeca Engineering, spécialisée dans l’ingénierie des incertitudes, développe et commercialise un outil informatique professionnel. / To design mechanical systems, functional dimensioning and tolerancing consists in allocating a target value and a tolerance to part dimensions. More precisely, tolerance analysis consists in checking that chosen tolerances allow the mechanism to be functional. In the opposite, the tolerance synthesis goal is to determine those tolerances, optimaly if possible, such as functional requirements are respected. Traditional statistical approaches are very useful in pre-design phases, but are incapable of estimating precisely non-quality risks. This PhD thesis adresses this problem from a different point of view. The objective is no longer to respect functional requirements but to guarantee the Non-Conformity Rate (NCR) of the mechanism. It is the probability that the functional requirement is not respected. Reliability methods, based on probabilistic theory, allow a precise and efficient calculation of the NCR. The main goal of this thesis is to explore tolerance analysis and synthesis domains in order to identify potential contributions of reliability methods to these issues. In this work, different reliability tools are provided enabling tolerance analysis of all kind of mechanisms with or without gaps. The probability theory allows a detailed modeling of parts dimensions. In particular, the APTA (Advanced Probability-based Tolerance Analysis of products) approach is designed to take into account random variations of some parameters such as mean shifts which influence highly the NCR. As tolerance analysis is more complex for mechanisms with gaps, a specific method is designed based on a decomposition of contact points situations and the use of a reliability system method. Several sensitivity indexes are also proposed to identify the leading dimensions on the NCR. The optimization of the production cost, under a NCR constraint, enables an optimal tolerance synthesis. The potential benefits in terms of costs exceed 50% compared to initial designs while keeping under control quality levels of products. Companies RADIALL SA and VALEO Wiping Systems, designers and manufacturers of products for the automotive and aeronautic industries, have provided case studies on which is demonstrated the relevance of the presented work. Based on this work, the company Phimeca Engineering, specialized in uncertainties, is developing and commercializing a professional computer tool.

[pt] Consciência de software (software awareness) tornou-se um requisito importante na construção de sistemas com capacidade de autoadaptação. Para que aplicações de software possam melhor se adaptar a mudanças nos diversos ambientes em que operam, ter consciência (no sentido de perceber e entender esses ambientes e a seu próprio funcionamento nestes ambientes) é fundamental. Entretanto, mesmo em um nível básico aplicado a software, consciência é um requisito difícil de definir. Nosso trabalho propõe a organização de um catálogo para o requisito de consciência de software, com mecanismos para instanciação e uso do conhecimento armazenado neste catálogo na modelagem e implementação de software para problemas onde a autoadaptação, e por consequência consciência, sejam requisitos chave. / [en] Software awareness has become an important requirement in the construction of self-adaptive systems. As such, the software should better adapt to changes in the various environments in which they operate, be aware of (in the sense of perceiving and understanding) these environment and be aware of its own operation in these environments. However, even at a basic level applied to software, awareness is a requirement difficult to define. Our work proposes the creation of a catalog to the awareness requirement through non-functional requirements patterns (NFR patterns). We also propose mechanisms for enabling the instantiation and use of the knowledge about awareness, represented in this catalog.