Large software systems are in need of a construction plan to determine and define every concept and element used in order to not end up in complex, unusable, and cost-intensive systems. Different modeling languages, like UML, support the development of these construction plans and visualize them for the system’s stakeholders. Reference models are a specific kind of construction plan, used as templates for information systems and already capture business domain knowledge for reuse and tailoring. By adaptation, reference models are tailored to enterprise-specific application models, which can be used for software construction and maintenance. However, current adaptation methods suffer from the limitations of pure object-oriented development (e.g., identity issues, large inheritance trees, and inflexibility). In this thesis, the usage of roles as the sole adaptation mechanism is proposed to solve these challenges. With the help of conceptual roles, it is possible to create rich model variations and adaptations from existing (industry standard) reference models, and it is simpler to react to model evolution and changing business logic. Adaptations can be specified with more precision by maintaining or even increasing the model’s expressiveness. As a consequence, the role-enriched final application model can be used to describe software systems in more detail, with different perspectives, and, if available, can be implemented with a role supporting programming language. However, even without this step, the application model itself will provide valuable insights into the overall construction plan of a software system by the combination of structure and behavior and a clear separation of relatively stable domain knowledge from its use case specific adaptation.

Artificial life modelling is an extensive subject to exert effort in one piece of work such as this work. For that reason this work is limited to keep the base line of modelling of human behavior. Presented work deal with a creation of an artificial agent whose human-like behavior is implemented according to the PECS reference model. Specification of the PECS reference model is implemented in Java to build a simulation of artificial human being in some environment. Modeled human being has been assigned to imitate human activities, react adequately to sensed events from the environment and change the environment to achieve its goals. Modeled human being is a behavior controled entity acting according to its current role.

No description available.

South Africa has shown an increased interest and awareness of Open Source Software (OSS) in the past decade. One of the reasons for this was the support from the Shuttleworth Foundation for Open Source initiatives. Migrating to OSS is a difficult and time consuming activity that should not be underestimated by the migration team. Careful planning and roll-out procedures should be in place before one commence on this journey. Process reference models are used in different fields to capture the generic process flow of activities. For the OSS domain, no process reference models could be found for migration purposes. Therefore, this study has as aim the suggestion of an initial set of process reference models for an organisational OSS migration. These process reference models were identified by capturing the process models for a case study that entailed the migration of the CSIR software systems and desktops from proprietary to OSS. From this set of process models, the migration processes were identified and refined to a set of suggested process reference models for organisational OSS migrations. This set of process reference models are useful to determine the processes necessary for organisations considering migrating to OSS. The study is divided into four research questions, where the first focusses on use and value of process reference models and the second on what is already known about OSS migration processes. The third deals with key processes within an organisational open source migration (OOSM) and the last with process reference models for an OOSM. For the first research question, the use and value of process reference models and the usefulness of utilising process reference models is discussed as well as using process models as a modelling tool to identify and capture processes. For the second research question, a summary is provided of what we know about OSS migration processes and a description about what the researcher and others have learnt about OSS, OSS migrations, process reference models, the process and its structure. For the third research question, the key processes within an OOSM is discussed as well as all the processes that took place during the OSS migration project from basic administrative processes to complex processes, from the beginning of the project until its completion. Lastly, for the fourth research question, process reference models that are essential for an OOSM and possible generic migration process models bound to reoccur are identified by the researcher and validated using a focus group discussion. / M.Tech. (Information Technology)

In today's highly competitive global economy, information resources representing enterprise-wide information are essential to the survival of an organization. The development of and increase in the use of personal computers and data communication networks are supporting or, in many cases, replacing the traditional computer mainstay of corporations. The client/server model incorporates mainframe programming with desktop applications on personal computers. The aim of the research is to compile a technology model for the development of client/server software. A comprehensive overview of the individual components of the client/server system is given. The different methodologies, tools and techniques that can be used are reviewed, as well as client/server-specific design issues. The research is intended to create a road map in the form of a Technology Reference Model for Client/Server Software Development. / Computing / M. Sc. (Information Systems)

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / This thesis critically analyzes the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) within higher education and examines SCORM's limitations within a realistic application environment versus within a theoretical/conceptual platform. The thesis also examines environments better suited for implementation of SCORM technology. In addressing the research questions, it was discovered that from the current standards set forth by Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL), SCORM is not well suited for higher education. SCORM technology will prove of greater utility within the Navy Training environment than in higher education. In their effort to share information, higher education institutions would benefit more from a Content Management System in conjunction with a Learning Management System. Subsequent chapters addressed the limitations of SCORM, provided a comparison of the applicability of SCORM within the separate domains of naval Education and Training, and provided a prototype of a Content Management System for institutions of higher learning. / Lieutenant Commander, Hellenic Navy / Lieutenant, United States Naval Reserve

Cette thèse porte sur la commande variant dans le temps avec comme fil directeur l’application au contrôle d’attitude de satellites. Nous avons étudié trois types de commande: une commande à commutation, une commande LPV et une commande adaptative directe. Pour cette dernière nous avons proposé des résultats théoriques nouveaux portant sur la structuration du gain et de l’adaptation. Les résultats ont été validés en simulation et sont testés à bord d’un satellite. En partant de la loi à commutation actuellement utilisée sur les satellites Myriade, une première partie de nos travaux est dédiée à la commande LPV. Notre approche, basée sur la spécification des objectifs de commande à travers un modèle de référence LPV, permet d'obtenir de nouveaux algorithmes exprimés dans ce formalisme. Testées en simulation, ces lois de commande répondent à la problématique de notre application. Toutefois, le choix du modèle de référence LPV s'avère délicat. Cette difficulté a été levée en utilisant la commande adaptative. Dans cette approche, les spécifications sur le comportement temps-variant sont traduites par des contraintes au niveau des lois d'adaptation des gains de commande. Nous introduisons ainsi une nouvelle méthode de synthèse de lois adaptatives structurées. Les preuves de stabilité établies s'appuient sur des outils de la théorie de Lyapunov. Les résultats obtenus sur un simulateur complet montrent l'intérêt de tels algorithmes adaptatifs. Ils permettent en particulier de modifier la dynamique du satellite selon les capacités disponibles des actionneurs. Sur la base de ces résultats, une campagne d’essai en vol sur le satellite PICARD est actuellement en cours. / This manuscript considers time varying control, with a strong emphasis on a satellite attitude control application. Three types of control structures have been studied: a switch-based approach, LPV control and direct adaptive control. In this last field we have introduced new theoretical results which allow structuring the gain and the adaptation law. The results have been validated in simulation and are currently tested on board a satellite. Starting from the switch-based control law currently implemented on the Myriade satellites, a first part of our work isdedicated to LPV control. Based on the specification of the control objectives by using of an LPV reference model, our approach allows obtaining new control algorithms expressed within this framework. The simulations carried out with theLPV algorithms obtained by using this method show that they meet the needs of our application. Nonetheless, the choice of a reference model proves to be difficult. This obstacle has been surpassed by using direct adaptive control. In this approach, specifications regarding the timevarying behaviour are added through constraints on the laws defining the control gains adaptation. We thus introduce anew synthesis method, based on which structured adaptive control laws are obtained. Stability proofs are established based on tools of the Lyapunov theory.The results obtained on a complete simulator show the interest of using such adaptive algorithms, which allow in particular to modify the satellite dynamics depending on the available capacity of the actuators. Based on these positive results, a fight-test campaign on the PICARD satellite is underway.

O desempenho do Processo de Desenvolvimento de Produto (PDP) depende de como a empresa gerencia seu processo. A adoção de um modelo de referência para o PDP tem se mostrado uma boa prática, pois aumenta a capacidade de a empresa em controlar as mudanças no processo, avaliar seu desempenho, propor melhorias além de permitir uma maior compreensão do processo como um todo, padronizando e controlando todas as fases do PDP. Isso proporciona um melhor aproveitamento de recursos e, consequentemente, menor tempo de desenvolvimento e maior satisfação do cliente. Entretanto, muitas empresas não obtêm os resultados esperados durante e/ou após a implantação do modelo de referência específico, uma vez que nem todas estão preparadas culturalmente para adotar um processo estruturado. Na literatura, há poucas pesquisas que relatam, por meio de estudos de casos, quais os problemas e impactos que as organizações enfrentam ao aplicar um modelo de referência específico. O presente estudo tem por objetivo analisar as disfunções e benefícios que ocorrem no modelo de referência específico no PDP. Para isso, foram pesquisadas inicialmente as disfunções e benefícios na literatura e realizado estudo de caso em duas empresas. Os resultados mostram que as disfunções encontradas na literatura em sua maioria não foram confirmadas nas empresas, devido às particularidades de cada uma. E foi constatado por meio de entrevistas que algumas disfunções estiveram presentes apenas durante a implantação do modelo de referência específico. Diferentemente do panorama das disfunções, os benefícios apresentados, em sua maioria, foram confirmados em ambas as empresas. / New Product development (NPD) performance depends on how the company manages its process. The adoption of a reference model for NDP has been shown to be a good practice, because increases a companys capacity in controlling the alterations in the process, evaluate its performance, propose improvements besides allowing a greater comprehension of the process as a whole, creating a pattern and controlling all NPDs phases, which gives a better utilization of the resources, and consequently less time to market and better client satisfaction. However, many companies do not get the expected results during and/or after implementation of the specific reference model, once not all are culturally prepared to adopt a structurally process. In the literature there are few researchers that report by means of case studies which are the problems and impacts that companies face when applying a specific reference model. The objective of this study is to analyze the dysfunctions and benefits that occur in the NPD specific reference model. To do this end, it was initially searched the dysfunctions and the benefits in the literature and performed a case study in two companies. Results show that most of the dysfunctions found in the literature were not confirmed in the companies, because of the specificities of each one. In addition, it was observed by means of a focused interview that some of the dysfunctions were present only during the specific reference models implementation. Differently of the dysfunctions scenery, most of the shown benefits were confirmed in both companies.

A Internet das Coisas é um novo paradigma de comunicação que estende o mundo virtual (Internet) para o mundo real com a interface e interação entre objetos. Ela possuirá um grande número de dispositivos heteregôneos interconectados, que deverá gerar um grande volume de dados. Um dos importantes desafios para seu desenvolvimento é se guardar e processar esse grande volume de dados em aceitáveis intervalos de tempo. Esta pesquisa endereça esse desafio, com a introdução de serviços de análise e reconhecimento de padrões nas camadas inferiores do modelo de para Internet das Coisas, que procura reduzir o processamento nas camadas superiores. Na pesquisa foram analisados os modelos de referência para Internet das Coisas e plataformas para desenvolvimento de aplicações nesse contexto. A nova arquitetura de implementada estende o LinkSmart Middeware pela introdução de um módulo para reconhecimento de padrões, implementa algoritmos para estimação de valores, detecção de outliers e descoberta de grupos nos dados brutos, oriundos de origens de dados. O novo módulo foi integrado à plataforma para Big Data Hadoop e usa as implementações algorítmicas do framework Mahout. Este trabalho destaca a importância da comunicação cross layer integrada à essa nova arquitetura. Nos experimentos desenvolvidos na pesquisa foram utilizadas bases de dados reais, provenientes do projeto Smart Santander, de modo a validar da nova arquitetura de IoT integrada aos serviços de análise e reconhecimento de padrões e a comunicação cross-layer. / The Internet of Things is a new communication paradigm in which the Internet is extended from the virtual world to interface and interact with objects of the physical world. The IoT has high number of heterogeneous interconnected devices, that generate huge volume data. The most important IoT challenges is store and proccess this large volume data. This research addresses this issue by introducing pattern recognition services into the lower layers of the Internet of Things reference model stack and reduces the processing at the higher layers. The research analyzes the Internet of Things reference model and Middleware platforms to develop applications in this context. The new architecture implementation extends the LinkSmart by introducing a pattern recognition manager that includes algorithms to estimate parameters, detect outliers, and to perform clustering of raw data from IoT resources. The new module is integrated with the Big Data Haddop platform and uses Mahout algorithms implementation. This work highlights the cross-layer communication intregated in the new IoT architecture. The experiments made in this research using the real database from Smart Santander Framework to validate the new IoT architecture with pattern recognition services and cross-layer communication.

A crescente procura por software de qualidade vem causando grande pressão sobre as empresas que trabalham com desenvolvimento de software. As entregas de produtos de software dentro do prazo e custo previstos vêm se tornando, a cada dia, um diferencial importante nesse ramo de atividade. Nesse sentido, as empresas procuram por metodologias que propiciem o desenvolvimento de produtos com qualidade, e que respeitem o custo e prazo previstos. Em resposta a essas necessidades, surgiu uma nova classe de metodologias de desenvolvimento de software, conhecidas como metodologias ágeis. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo realizado sobre as principais características existentes nessa nova classe de metodologias. Uma análise permitiu a identificação de semelhanças e diferenças existentes entre elas, o que possibilitou a criação de um modelo de referência para o desenvolvimento ágil de software. O modelo foi utilizado em uma avaliação de processo baseada no modelo de avaliação da ISO/IEC 15504. A avaliação permitiu a identificação de forças e fraquezas no processo avaliado e possibilitou a definição de ações de melhoria para que o processo avaliado se assemelhasse à um processo de desenvolvimento ágil. Palavra-chave: Metodologia ágil de desenvolvimento. Modelo de referência. Processo de desenvolvimento de software. Avaliação de processo de software / The vast demand for software with quality is causing a great pressure on the companies which work with software development. The delivery of software products within the schedule and cost is becoming, every day, an important issue in this area. Therefore, companies are seeking for methodologies to develop products with quality, within the timetable and the cost. Considering these needs, it became a new class of software development methodologies, known as agile methodologies. This research shows a work done upon the main existing characteristics in this new class of methodologies. An analysis allowed the identification of the existing similarities and differences among them, which it made possible to create a new reference model for agile software development. The agile model was used in process assessment based on assessment model from ISO/IEC 15504. The assessment alowed a identification of power and weakness on the process and alowed a definition of improvement action to the process with the intention of to approach the agile development process