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An Initial Ontology for System Qualities
Author(s) -
Boehm Barry,
Kukreja Nupul
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
incose international symposium
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2334-5837
DOI - 10.1002/j.2334-5837.2015.00067.x
Subject(s) - ontology , computer science , usability , set (abstract data type) , process ontology , reliability (semiconductor) , key (lock) , knowledge management , process management , risk analysis (engineering) , systems engineering , human–computer interaction , engineering , computer security , business , domain knowledge , philosophy , power (physics) , physics , epistemology , quantum mechanics , programming language
This paper presents an initial ontology for reasoning about a system's System Qualities (SQs), ilities, or non‐functional requirements (reliability, usability, affordability, etc.). The need for such an ontology is based primarily on two factors. One is the importance of getting the SQs sufficiently well defined that the system's definition, development and evolution result in a satisfactory balance of SQ values for the system's success‐critical stakeholders, given the frequent system shortfalls and overruns that occur when this balance is not achieved. The other is that current system acquisition and evolution guidance descriptions have numerous deficiencies and inconsistencies in their coverage of SQ considerations. This situation is becoming more serious as systems and their stakeholders become increasingly complex, dynamic, and diverse. This paper provides an elaboration of the needs, a set of initial SQ ontology elements and definitions, examples of their application to some key SQs and their relationships, and an identification of further research and development needed to make the ontology fully useful and evolvable.