Significantly Increasing the Usability of Model Analysis Tools through Visual Feedback

El Arbi Aboussoror (1) , Ileana Ober (1) , Iulian Ober (1)

1 IRIT-MACAO - Modèles, Architectures, Composants, Agilité et prOcessus

A plethora of theoretical results are available which make possible the use of dynamic analysis and model-checking for software and system models expressed in high-level modeling languages like UML, SDL or AADL. Their usage is hindered by the complexity of information processing demanded from the modeler in order to apply them and to effectively exploit their results. Our thesis is that by improving the visual presentation of the analysis results, their exploitation can be highly improved. To support this thesis, we define a trace analysis approach based on the extraction of high-level semantics events from the low-level output of a simulation or model-checking tool. This extraction offers the basis for new types of scenario visualizations, improving scenario understanding and exploration. This approach was implemented in our UML/SysML analyzer and was validated in a controlled experiment that shows a significant increase in the usability of our tool, both in terms of task performance speed and in terms of user satisfaction.

Mots clés: Computer Systems Organization and Communication Networks

Domaines: Génie logiciel [cs.SE]; Systèmes embarqués; Cryptographie et sécurité [cs.CR]; Interface homme-machine [cs.HC]; Architectures Matérielles [cs.AR]; Modélisation et simulation

El Arbi Aboussoror, Ileana Ober, Iulian Ober. Significantly Increasing the Usability of Model Analysis Tools through Visual Feedback. 16th International System Design Languages Forum (SDL 2013), Jun 2013, Montreal, Canada. pp. 107-123. ⟨hal-01226474⟩