Formal model validation through acceptance tests
Formal model validation through acceptance tests
When formal systems modelling is used as part of the development process, modellers need to understand the requirements in order to create appropriate models, and domain experts need to validate the final models to ensure they fit the needs of stakeholders. A suitable mechanism for such a validation are acceptance tests.
In this paper we discuss how the principles of Behaviour-Driven Development (BDD) can be applied to i) formal modelling and ii) validation of behaviour specifications, thus coupling those two tasks. We show how to close the gap between the informal domain specification and the formal model, thus enabling the domain expert to write acceptance tests in a high-level language matching the formal specification.
We analyse the applicability of this approach by providing the Gherkin scenarios for an Event-B/iUML-B formal model of a ‘fixed virtual block’ approach to train movement control, developed according to the Hybrid ERTMS/ETCS Level 3 principles specified by the EEIG ERTMS Users Group and presented as a case study on the 6. International ABZ Conference 2018.
Formal Methods, Validation, Acceptance Tests, Event-B, iUML-B, Gherkin, Cucumber
159-169
Fischer, Tomas
2d38d5a2-37f5-444d-89ef-9e2ddce89e09
Dghaym, Dana
b7b69fe2-c9ff-43ad-a6ba-8b41d6fd19fc
Fischer, Tomas
2d38d5a2-37f5-444d-89ef-9e2ddce89e09
Dghaym, Dana
b7b69fe2-c9ff-43ad-a6ba-8b41d6fd19fc
Fischer, Tomas and Dghaym, Dana
(2019)
Formal model validation through acceptance tests.
Collart-Dutilleul, S., Lecomte, T. and Romanovsky, A.
(eds.)
In Reliability, Safety, and Security of Railway Systems. Modelling, Analysis, Verification, and Certification: RSSRail 2019.
vol. 11495,
Springer.
.
(doi:10.1007/978-3-030-18744-6_10).
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
When formal systems modelling is used as part of the development process, modellers need to understand the requirements in order to create appropriate models, and domain experts need to validate the final models to ensure they fit the needs of stakeholders. A suitable mechanism for such a validation are acceptance tests.
In this paper we discuss how the principles of Behaviour-Driven Development (BDD) can be applied to i) formal modelling and ii) validation of behaviour specifications, thus coupling those two tasks. We show how to close the gap between the informal domain specification and the formal model, thus enabling the domain expert to write acceptance tests in a high-level language matching the formal specification.
We analyse the applicability of this approach by providing the Gherkin scenarios for an Event-B/iUML-B formal model of a ‘fixed virtual block’ approach to train movement control, developed according to the Hybrid ERTMS/ETCS Level 3 principles specified by the EEIG ERTMS Users Group and presented as a case study on the 6. International ABZ Conference 2018.
Text
RSSRail_2019_paper_3
- Author's Original
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 20 February 2019
e-pub ahead of print date: 24 April 2019
Venue - Dates:
International Conference Reliability, Safety and Security of Railway Systems: Modelling, Analysis, Verification and Certification, , Lille, France, 2019-06-04 - 2019-06-06
Keywords:
Formal Methods, Validation, Acceptance Tests, Event-B, iUML-B, Gherkin, Cucumber
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 428839
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/428839
PURE UUID: 669cbead-430d-4711-b65c-c3d065c7926e
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Date deposited: 11 Mar 2019 17:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 04:29
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Contributors
Author:
Tomas Fischer
Author:
Dana Dghaym
Editor:
S. Collart-Dutilleul
Editor:
T. Lecomte
Editor:
A. Romanovsky
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