Lattice- based semantics for combinatorial model evolution

Rachel Tzoref-brill, Shahar Maoz

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Combinatorial test design (CTD) is an effective test design technique, considered to be a testing best practice. CTD provides automatic test plan generation, but it requires a manual definition of the test space in the form of a combinatorial model. As the system under test evolves, e.g., due to iterative development processes and bug fixing, so does the test space, and thus, in the context of CTD, evolution translates into frequent manual model definition updates. In this work, we show that the Boolean semantics currently in use by CTD tools to interpret the model is inadequate for combinatorial model evolution, and propose to replace it with a new lattice-based semantics that (1) provides a consistent interpretation of atomic changes to the model via Galois connections, and (2) exposes which additional parts of the model must change following an atomic change, in order to restore validity. We further use the new lattice-based semantics to define new higher-level atomic operations for combinatorial model evolution. Finally, we identify recurring abstraction and refinement patterns in the evolution of 42 real-world industrial models, and use the new lattice-based semantics to define new higher-level atomic constructs that encapsulate these patterns. The proposed lattice-based semantics and related new modeling constructs advance the state-of-the-art in CTD with a new foundation for model evolution and with better tools for change comprehension and management.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAutomated Technology for Verification and Analysis - 13th International Symposium, ATVA 2015, Proceedings
EditorsBernd Finkbeiner, Geguang Pu, Lijun Zhang
Pages276-292
Number of pages17
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015
Event13th International Symposium on Automated Technology for Verification and Analysis, ATVA 2015 - Shanghai, China
Duration: 12 Oct 201515 Oct 2015

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume9364

Conference

Conference13th International Symposium on Automated Technology for Verification and Analysis, ATVA 2015
Country/TerritoryChina
CityShanghai
Period12/10/1515/10/15

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Theoretical Computer Science
  • General Computer Science

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