In this thesis, a framework for improving model-driven system design productivity with Requirements-Driven Design Automation (RDDA) is presented. The key to the proposed approach is to close the semantic gap between requirements, components and architecture by using compatible semantic models for describing product requirements and component capabilities, including constraints. An ontology-based representation language is designed that spans requirements for the application domain, the software design domain and the component domain. Design automation is supported for architecture development by machine-based mapping of desired product/subsystem features and capabilities to library components and by synthesis and maintenance of Systems Modeling Language (SysML) design structure diagrams. The RDDA framework uses standards-based semantic web technologies and can be integrated with exiting modeling tools. Requirements specification is a major component of the system development cycle. Mistakes and omissions in requirements documents lead to ambiguous or wrong interpretation by engineers, causing errors that trickle down in design and implementation with consequences on the overall development cost. We describe a methodology for requirements specification that aims to alleviate the above issues and that produces models for functional requirements that can be automatically validated for completeness and consistency. The RDDA framework uses an ontology-based language for semantic description of functional product requirements, SysML structure diagrams, component constraints, and Quality of Service. The front-end method for requirements specification is the SysML editor in Rhapsody. A requirements model in Web Ontology Language (OWL) is converted from SysML to Extensible Markup Language Metadata Interchange (XMI) representation. / The specification is validated for completeness and consistency with a ruled-based system implemented in Prolog. With our methodology, omission s and several types of consistency errors present in the requirements specification are detected early on, before the design stage. Component selection and design automation have the potential to play a major role in reducing the system development time and cost caused by the rapid change in technology advances and the large solution search space. In our work, we start from a structured representation of requirements and components using SysML, and based on specific set of rules written in Prolog, we partially automate the process of architecture design. / by Mihai Fonoage. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Games have become important applications on mobile devices. A mobile gaming approach known as remote gaming is being developed to support games on low cost mobile devices. In the remote gaming approach, the responsibility of rendering a game and advancing the game play is put on remote servers instead of the resource constrained mobile devices. The games rendered on the servers are encoded as video and streamed to mobile devices. Mobile devices gather user input and stream the commands back to the servers to advance game play. With this solution, mobile devices with video playback and network connectivity can become game consoles. In this thesis, we present the design and development of such a system and evaluate the performance and design considerations to maximize the end user gaming experience. A gaming user experience model capable of predicting the user experience for a given gaming session is developed and verified. / by Waazim Reza. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Esta tese propõe um modelo de referência aplicável às pequenas empresas produtoras de softwares, para dar suporte ao seu processo de desenvolvimento de produtos (PDP). Utilizando uma revisão bibliográfica que permitiu a contextualização teórica, ao estado da arte, e tendo por base o modelo de qualidade MPS.Br, são apresentados e discutidos os conceitos de qualidade e de produtividade com abordagem voltada para as pequenas empresas. A seguir, procede-se a uma avaliação contextualizada, com base no método de avaliação MARES, em algumas empresas do setor, para se obter uma constatação da efetiva situação das mesmas quanto as suas práticas no desenvolvimento de sistemas informatizados. Da análise dos resultados e baseado no referencial teórico, objetiva-se, como contribuição ao melhor domínio do tema, disponibilizar-se um modelo de referência capaz de harmonizar o atingimento de qualidade assegurada e produtividade elevada com atuação rápida e eficaz, de modo a garantir competitividade às pequenas empresas produtoras de software no Brasil. / This thesis proposes a product development process (PDP) reference model for software companies. The PDP reference model was developed based on the MPS.Br existing model and an extensive bibliography revision which allowed for a state of the art context analysis. This work also presents the main quality and productivity concepts targeted at small software development companies. Following that path, a context evaluation based on the evaluation method MARES was applied to a group of small software companies in order to produce a present stage concerning their software development practices, per company. By analyzing and comparing the evaluation results and the theoretical material surveyed, a new PDP reference model was proposed aiming to ease the introduction of quality and productivity practices for small software development companies. It is expected that the adoption of the proposed reference model can help small companies leverage their competitive advantage in Brazil.

The ability of agile teams to adapt the project plan to unexpected problems is still a less-researched area. They must change the project plans as facing unexpected challenges and, even though existing studies relate some aspects to this ability, such as participatory decision-making, openness to discuss problems in an immediate sense and focus on actions to be taken in near future, these studies do not yet offer a complete theory, or set of practices, about how adaptation takes place. What actions and decisions of the team allow for adaptation? Improvisation is an approach that could potentially fill this gap and consists of someone executing an action without previously planning it, or doing it differently from the original plan, when facing a problem. This study presents an investigation of how agile teams adapt when facing unexpected changes or problems during the projects. The concept of improvisation is used and the study involved two agile software development teams and using Grounded Theory (GT). The results indicate that the teams apply different improvisation strategies, such as breaking standard work rules, as well as maintain habits that contribute positively to improvisation. Clients also play an important role in helping teams solve unexpected problems and should be invited to collaborate. These results can be used to assist professionals in search of more effectiveness in agile teams in terms of adapting the plan during the project. / A habilidade de os times ágeis adaptarem o plano do projeto de acordo com problemas inesperados ainda é uma área de pesquisa pouco explorada. Essas equipes precisam ser capazes de adaptar o plano do projeto quando se deparam com desafios inesperados e, ainda que os estudos relacionem alguns aspectos a essa habilidade, como tomada de decisão participativa, abertura para discutir problemas de imediato e foco em ações de curto prazo, os estudos ainda não oferecem uma teoria completa ou conjunto de práticas que descrevam como, de fato, a adaptação acontece. Quais ações e decisões do time lhe garantem a capacidade de adaptação? A improvisação é uma abordagem interessante para compreender esse gap, e consiste em executar uma ação sem previamente planejá-la, ou de uma maneira diferente do que a planejada, quando da ocorrência de um problema ou mudança inesperada. Esse estudo apresenta uma investigação da adaptação em projetos ágeis quando as equipes se deparam com mudanças ou problemas inesperados. O conceito da improvisação é usado e o estudo envolveu dois times ágeis que desenvolvem software, e utilizando o método Grounded theory (GT). Os resultados indicam que os times utilizam diferentes estratégias de improvisação, como quebrar regras de trabalho, assim como mantem hábitos que contribuem positivamente para a improvisação. O cliente também desempenha um papel importante ao ajudar os times a resolverem problemas inesperados, e portanto devem ser convidados a colaborar. Esses resultados podem ser usados para auxiliar profissionais no sentido de obter-se times ágeis mais efetivos na adaptação do plano durante o projeto.

É possível notar no trabalho diário das empresas que a pressão por diminuir o prazo de entrega dos softwares ainda é uma realidade. Neste contexto, empresas adotam técnicas de desenvolvimento ágil de software, implementando entregas constantes e estabelecendo ciclos iterativos e curtos no processo de desenvolvimento de software. Mas, se por um lado estas técnicas visam inovar e reduzir tempo de desenvolvimento, por outro, as empresas sentem-se pressionadas a adotar a forma tradicional de manter a qualidade de software. Neste ponto, o CMMI se apresenta como um modelo de maturidade de reconhecimento mundial e é classificado na abordagem tradicional por pregar grande formalismo e foco no processo. A abordagem ágil coloca que os indivíduos e suas interações têm maior importância que os processos e as ferramentas e que ser adaptável às mudanças é mais importante do que seguir a rigor o planejado. Ao integrar estes dois modelos de abordagens distintas espera-se que as práticas ágeis possam ajudar organizações maduras a se tornarem mais flexíveis. Com o intuito de averiguar esta integração, utilizou-se o método de pesquisa de estudo de caso, de modo a se aprofundar nas empresas que possuem certificação CMMI e decidiram adotar o modelo de desenvolvimento ágil. O objetivo é levantar como estas empresas resolveram os pontos de conflito da abordagem tradicional e ágil, de modo a se tornarem mais eficazes. O estudo ainda contém um quadro de integração CMMI versus desenvolvimento ágil de modo a elencar os pontos que merecem maior atenção e esforço de adaptação, visando a concretização da integração. / It\'s possible to notice in the daily work of companies that pressure by decreasing the delivery of software is still a reality. It is in this context that companies adopt the techniques of agile software development, implementing and establishing constant deliveries and short iterative cycles in the process of software development. But if on the one hand these techniques aim to innovate and reduce development time, on the other, companies feel pressured to adopt the traditional way of maintaining the quality of software. At this point, the CMMI is presented as maturity model worldwide recognition, classified in the traditional approach for preaching extensive formalism and focus on the process, as the agile approach puts individuals and their interactions is more important than processes and tools, where being adaptable changes is more important than following the strict what was planned. By integrating these two models of different approaches, it is expected that agile practices can help organizations mature to become more flexible. In order to investigate this integration is that this study uses the research method of case study so as to deepen the companies that have decided to adopt CMMI and agile development model. The goal is to raise as these companies solved the trouble spots of the traditional approach and agile in order to become more effective. The study also contain a framework for integrating CMMI vs. Agile development in order to list the points that deserve more attention and effort to adapt in order to achieve integration.

A importância dos sistemas de software segue crescendo para grande parte das organizações. A expansão das funcionalidades viabilizadas com a implantação destes sistemas em produtos manufaturados e a emergência das \"mídias digitais\", que compreendem conteúdo digital, software e múltiplos canais de acesso ao mercado, são exemplos recentes nos quais os sistemas de software assumiram posição central para a estratégia corporativa. Grande parte das pesquisas realizadas sobre software não considera explicitamente os vínculos existentes entre o mercado no qual estas empresas atuam e seus processos organizacionais; como conseqüência, tanto pesquisa como prática em engenharia de software tendem a ser realizadas de forma neutra, e na perspectiva de um desenvolvedor de software, diferentes atividades de desenvolvimento são consideradas como igualmente relevantes para a obtenção dos objetivos corporativos. Este projeto de pesquisa analisa como acontece o alinhamento entre objetivos estratégicos e o processo de desenvolvimento em empresas de software e propõe um método para garantir que o processo de desenvolvimento encontra-se alinhado com os objetivos do negócio. O método inclui a categorização de diferentes companhias de software de acordo com as suas habilidades principais e a customização da técnica Technology Roadmapping para empresas de software. O percurso metodológico desenvolvido para atingir os objetivos propostos não é convencional e envolve diferentes etapas nas quais a recuperação de teorias, de conceitos e de modelos foi mesclada com atividades de pesquisa para o detalhamento, teste e ratificação dos diversos elementos que vêm a constituir o produto acima mencionado. Os resultados obtidos são consistentes com os objetivos propostos e incluem um referencial para análise da indústria de Telecomunicações, um referencial para análise da indústria de software, incorporando questões sobre mercado, objetivos estratégicos, produtos e serviços e processo de desenvolvimento, e um método de alinhamento entre objeticos estratégicos e processo de desenvolvimento em empresas de software. / Software importance is growing fast and consistently for many organizations. The growth of software functionality in manufactured products and the emergence of the digital media, convergent spaces comprehending digital content, software, and multi-channels to the market, are recent examples of organizational changes where software assumed a central position for the corporate strategy. Much of current research about software does not explicitly consider the linkages between the software market and their organizational processes; as a consequence, software engineering practice and research is done in a value-neutral setting, and from a developer point of view, different activities are considered equally important for the achievement of corporate goals. This research project analyzes the alignment between strategic objectives and development process at software companies and presents a method to ensure that the development process is aligned with the corporate capabilities required to exploit future market opportunities. The method includes the categorization of different software companies according to their core capabilities and the customization of the Technology Roadmapping technique for software companies. To achieve the proposed goal it was necessary to develop a different approach, in which theories, concepts and models were tested against empirical initiatives, aiming to validate the different elements that constitute the mentioned result. These obtained results are consistent with the proposed objectives, and include a framework to analyze the telecommunication industry, a framework to analyze the software industry, concerning issues such as market, strategic objectives, products and services and development process, and a method to align strategic objectives and development process at software companies.

DevOps is an ill-defined but trending approach to software development. Many companies are seduced by its promises of reduced costs and risks. DevOps life-cycle is often represented as a continuous everything, but very little is said about how to get the ball rolling. This report examines how DevOps definitions are represented in the initiation of Agile projects. By interviewing developers and mapping their project initiation activities in a DevOps context, a set of guidelines was formed. Continuous Integration and Deployment were found most prominent DevOps attributes from a developer’s perspective. The operational responsibility is skewed toward maintenance, with low interest in further adjustment.

Asset management is a time consuming and error prone process. Information Technology (IT) personnel typically perform this task manually by visually inspecting assets to identify misplaced assets. If this process is automated and provided to IT personnel it would prove very useful in keeping track of assets in a server rack. A mobile based solution is proposed to automate this process. The asset management application on the tablet captures images of assets and searches an annotated database to identify the asset. We evaluate the matching performance and speed of asset matching using three different image feature descriptors. Methods to reduce feature extraction and matching complexity were developed. Performance and accuracy tradeoffs were studied, domain specific problems were identified, and optimizations for mobile platforms were made. The results show that the proposed methods reduce complexity of asset matching by 67% when compared to the matching process using unmodified image feature descriptors. / by Reena Ursula Friedel. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2012. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The SSL/TLS is the main protocol used to provide secure data connection between a client and a server. The main concern of using this protocol is to avoid the secure connection from being breached. Computer systems and their applications are becoming more complex and keeping these secure connections between all the connected components is a challenge. To avoid any new security flaws and protocol connections weaknesses, the SSL/TLS protocol is always releasing newer versions after discovering security bugs and vulnerabilities in any of its previous version. We have described some of the common security flaws in the SSL/TLS protocol by identifying them in the literature and then by analyzing the activities from each of their use cases to find any possible threats. These threats are realized in the form of misuse cases to understand how an attack happens from the point of the attacker. This approach implies the development of some security patterns which will be added as a reference for designing secure systems using the SSL/TLS protocol. We finally evaluate its security level by using misuse patterns and considering the threat coverage of the models. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

O Estado do Amazonas tem realizado investimentos em educação através da oferta de ensino superior em tecnologia para seus municípios, como alternativa para fomentar o desenvolvimento regional. Porém, de forma complementar, é necessário promover condições para que essas comunidades possam ter acesso a um mercado de trabalho e colocar em prática o conhecimento adquirido, sem que para isso necessitem migrar para outros centros mais desenvolvidos. Este trabalho de pesquisa apresenta uma proposta de inclusão do estado do Amazonas como agente colaborador em projetos de desenvolvimento global de software, através da criação de um conjunto de recomendações para guiar empreendedores no investimento desta solução. O método inclui a coleta de informações sobre as características particulares dos municípios do Estado do Amazonas utilizando técnicas de elicitação de requisitos com foco em engenharia de sistemas, e o estabelecimento de relação entre os problemas regionais e os principais problemas enfrentados por equipes que atuam com desenvolvimento global de software. A partir dessa relação, são geradas recomendações voltadas para capacitação de recursos humanos, investimentos em infraestrutura tecnológica e física local, oferecendo assim uma fonte alternativa de sustentabilidade ao desenvolvimento econômico da região amazônica. / Amazonas State has invested in education by offering higher education in technology for its cities, as an alternative to foster regional development. However, it is necessary to promote conditions for these communities to have access to a labor market and put into practice the acquired knowledge, without the need to migrate to other more developed cities. This work presents a proposal to inclusion of State of Amazonas as a collaborator agent in global software development projects, by establishing a set of recommendations to guide entrepreneurs in the investment of this solution. The method includes collecting information about the particular characteristics of Amazonas cities using requirements elicitation techniques with focus on systems engineering, and the establishment of relationship between the regional problems and the main issues faced by teams working with global software development. From this relationship, the recommendations are generated focused on human resources training, investments in the local physical and technological infrastructure, thus providing an alternative source of sustainability to economic development of Amazonas.