Multi-Aspect Simulation for Software Specification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Software development often lacks discipline due to communication gaps between business and software development groups, leading to poorly designed and implemented software with weak usability and poor functionality, especially in large decentralized organizations.
Innovation Solution
A multi-aspect simulation apparatus and method that integrates business process models, storyboards, and use cases through pointers to create a simulation, enabling better communication and collaboration across disparate skill sets and groups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional software development approaches are used, then development speed may be maintained, but communication gaps between business and development groups lead to poor software design and usability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a simulation engine as an intermediary system that translates business process models into interactive simulations. This mediator enables business stakeholders and developers to communicate requirements and behaviors without direct communication gaps, as the simulation serves as a shared reference point that both groups can interact with and validate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual copies of business processes through simulation models that replicate actual business operations. These simulated versions allow stakeholders to visualize and discuss software requirements in a controlled environment, ensuring accurate information transfer without loss between different groups.
2Ease of manufacture
If detailed functional specifications are created, then software functionality improves, but the complexity of coordination between diverse skill sets increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the software development process into distinct phases: business process modeling, simulation creation, and specification generation. Each phase can be independently handled by different skill sets (business analysts, developers, testers) and the simulation engine coordinates these segments, reducing overall coordination complexity while maintaining detailed functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The simulation engine serves multiple functions simultaneously: it validates business processes, generates functional specifications, facilitates stakeholder collaboration, and ensures requirement consistency. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate coordination mechanisms, simplifying the overall process despite detailed requirements.
3Reliability
If multiple aspect simulation is implemented, then collaborative agreement on requirements improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple simulation aspects (business process validation, functional specification generation, usability testing, and requirement consistency checking) into a single integrated simulation engine. This combination achieves reliable multi-aspect requirement specification while reducing system complexity compared to having separate tools for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi aspect simulation apparatus, method and system is provided, which can be used in the process of developing a software specification to be used by software programmers to code or revise a piece of software. A plurality of descriptors for the software is received and a plurality of pointers between various descriptors is also received. The descriptors and pointers are integrated to infer further relationships between different descriptors. A simulation can then be created based on the descriptors, pointers and relationships.