Integrating Process Modelling and Soft Systems Analysis

This paper describes and reflects on the experience of attempting to integrate process-oriented formal modelling with activity modelling in soft systems analysis. The work is part of a larger project at the University of Ulster to develop RACE, a new general purpose requirements engineering method for computing systems. Two distinctive characteristics of the integration approach used are that (i) formal modelling is offered as an optional facility, and so must be attractive; and (ii) the RACE method has been tailored to aid integration, in support of (i). The paper explains the relevant parts of the RACE method and the progress made so far to link its activity models with formal process models in LOTOS. The benefits and limitations of this work are discussed and proposals for an improved, tighter integration outlined.