BEHAVIORAL MODELING

Behavioral Modeling

Behavioral Modeling

Introduction

The model behavior is part of the essential model, along with the environmental model. It develops in the process of analysis (structured analysis) of a system. The behavioral model is the set of models (sketches, diagrams) of a system. This set of models may include DFD, DER, DTE, DD, EP, etc. The behavior of a system arises from its structure. The structure consists of cycles of feedback, flows and levels created by the interaction between the system, the decision-making process and the agents acting on it. This paper discusses behavior modeling with reference to three articles.

Discussion

Software and its development are becoming more and more complex. To cope with this increasing complexity and to develop software in a faster, cheaper, and more reliable way, new approaches and technologies were proposed, which help getting rid of unnecessary manual work and artifacts and which allow us generating much of the final code automatically. Researchers believe that one of the main problems is properly modeling the actual functionality or, more generally, the behavior of software.

Creating a behavioral model in software engineering:

While other analysis modeling elements provides a static view of the software, behavioral modeling depicts the dynamic behavior. The behavioral model uses input from scenario based, flow oriented and class based elements to represent the states of analysis classes and the system as a whole. To accomplish this, states are identified, the events that cause a class to make a transition from one state to another are defined, and the actions that occur as transition is accomplished are also identified. State diagrams and sequence diagrams are the UML notation used for behavioral modeling (France, et.al, 2006).

The behavioral model is an indication showing how software responds to external event. Steps to be followed are:

All use cases are evaluated.

Events are identified and their relations to classes are identified.

An event occurs whenever the system and a user exchange information. An event is not the information that is exchanged but a fact that information has been exchanged.

A sequence is created for use-case.

A state diagram is built.

There are two different characterizations of states in behavioral modeling: state of class as system performs its function and the state of the system as seen from outside. The system has states that represent specific externally observable behavior whereas a class has states that represent its behavior as the system performs its functions. Behavioral model is reviewed for accuracy and consistency.

System ...