Agile Knowledge Engineering for Mission Critical Software Requirements

Dutch research on knowledge-based instructional systems: Introduction to the special issue

Technology advances have touched all the fields of human life, and the educational system is not an exception. Students in Nigerian universities experience challenges in their early or later stages of school due to a lack of a knowledge-based support system. This results in massive failure and confusion in later days in school. A knowledge-based online support system has been developed and implemented in this paper to improve academic support services for students and faculty members in the university. The need for such a support system stems from the various academic problems that the students often experience, including a lack of answers to certain questions, which can result in academic failure, taking too long to graduate, or dropping out of the university altogether. The system is web-based; therefore, users can access the necessary information when needed, and, in most cases, it solves common academic issues in a short time using the web. Following the Agile software development methodology and employing a client-server architecture, the system was designed in a user-friendly and efficient manner. Highlights of the system include an extensive database of FAQs, real-time interactive services, and multi-typed query handling. Testing phases were performed and integrated, and modular testing showed that the system worked as intended, providing valid inputs and also flagging any invalid inputs without causing the system failures, and performing provisions for user corrections. The results suggest that the online support system could enhance the academic environment at AE-FUNAI and therefore would benefit students and staff members alike. Nevertheless, certain limitations still prevail, such as poor internet access, which calls for constant enhancement and provision of support to the system.

The Internet economy has altered the rules of software engineering. Traditional development methodologies are too cumbersome to meet the rapidly changing requirements and short product cycles demanded by business. To meet these changing requirements, software developers have developed agile software development methodologies (SDMs) utilizing iterative development, prototyping, and templates. This research project investigated agile SDM implementation using an online survey sent to practitioners worldwide. This survey data were used to identify factors related to agile SDM implementation. Factors that included training, management involvement, access to external resources, and corporate size were found to impact implementation of an agile software development methodology. Factors such as using models, having an implementation plan, collocating the development team, and developing software for Internet or intranet use did not impact the implementation of an agile software development methodology. Several of the factors that impact the implementation of an agile development methodology are under the control of management. Organizations considering the implementation of an agile methodology may wish to manipulate some of these factors to increase the opportunities for success of their methodology.

This paper presents a framework called logical knowledge object (LKO), which is taken as a basis of the dependable development of knowledge based systems(KBSs). LKO combines logic programming and object-oriented programming paradigms, where objects are viewed as abstractions with states, constraints, behaviors and inheritance. The operational semantics defined in the style of natural semantics is simple and clear. A hybrid knowledge representation amalgamating rule, frame, semantic network and blackboard is available for both most structured and flat knowledge. The management of knowledge bases has been formally specified. Accordingly, LKO is well suited for the formal representation of knowledge and requirements of KBSs. Based on the framework, verification techniques are also explored to enhance the analysis of requirement specifications and the validation of KBSs. In addition, LKO provides a methodology for the development of KBSs, applying the concepts of rapid prototyping and top-down design to deal with changing and incomplete requirements, and to provide multiple abstract models of the domain, where formal methods might be used at each abstract level.

Artificial intelligence can assist in industrial control in many ways, but this paper concentrates on the role of knowledge-based systems in the areas of control, detection and diagnosis of faults, scheduling and planning. The paper argues that the application of knowledge-based techniques can provide a unification of these and other activities, and outlines the requirements of knowledge representation and inference techniques that are needed to make such systems a reality. The advances in hardware, including sensors as well as computers, that will be driven by and in turn stimulate the introduction of the knowledge-based industrial control systems are also considered.

CASESIAN: A knowledge-based system using statistical and experiential perspectives for improving the knowledge sharing in the medical prescription process

The development, validation and implementation of knowledge-based systems

Part 1 Putting knowledge-based systems in context: artificial intelligence - a brief overview knowledge-based systems other fruits of AI research an applications point of view differences between KBS's and conventional computer systems. Part 2 Knowledge-based systems - a solution in search of a problem?: what sort of problems may be addressed using KBS's what factors determine an application's suitability for a KBS approach? operational KBS's the key features of KBS construction. Part 3 KBS/AI concepts and tools: KBS concepts tools used to build KBS's - an overview knowledge acquisition knowledge representation system execution - for the knowledge engineer system execution - for the end-user maintenance. Part 4 Conventional software engineering: why are structured development methods relevant to KBS's? the conventional systems development life-cycle (SDLC) and formal methods extensions to the SDLC prototyping for decision support systems prototyping for non-DSS's contrasting features of DP and KB system development prototyping in KBS development. Part 5 ORSA methodology: why worry about the business objectives? what is operational research? a soft OR methodology soft systems methodology soft methodologies in general. Part 6 Lessons from other KBS work: current KBS development methodology - the textbook view AI methodology compared with DP methodologies a project management perspective. Part 7 The Intellipse experience: the original project specification - the main project phase the key changes to the proposal the concept of Intellipse functional specification the task compraring SSD Intellipse architecture knowledge bases is SSD a suitable domain for KBS's? advisor designer. Part 8 Measuring the success of a knowledge-based system : Why measure the success? what needs to be done? how to measure the success-sources of inspiration how to measure the success of a KBS-our recommendations. Part 9 A methodology for the practical engineering of knowledge-based systems: a POLITE engineering methodology for KBSs' standards for the POLITE methodology-the ITAM investigation POLITE in action.

With increasing competition in the software market, software companies are using new management strategies to increase their competitiveness. In recent years, with the prevalence of agile methodologies in software development, paying attention to human resources, and selecting and managing talented human resources have become inevitable. This should be achieved by adopting appropriate talent management processes. However, in software engineering, talent management has not yet been seriously considered. Due to the critical role of agile methodologies in human resources, and the authority and freedom of individuals in agile teams, the benefit of talent management in these methodologies is vital. As a starting point, this article tries to provide a concise overview of talent management in agile software development and address the ambiguities and research gaps facing software researchers in this regard. The initial results of this study show that several ambiguities such as appropriate models of talent management applicable in agile methodologies, how to use them, effective factors in talent assessment, and the relationship between talent management and the quality of teamwork are some of the most noticeable research gaps in this area.

The present project has as a proposal, to implement a business architecture for an insurance entity in Lima. The organization is an insurance group with more than 80 years in the Peruvian insurance market and has more than 3 million policyholders throughout Peru. The enterprise architecture allows organizations to align the systems strategy with the business strategy. Through this, a project that adds value to the strategic objectives of the organization will be obtained, to which agile methodologies of software development will be applied.

One of the main goals of Software Engineering is to produce software with quality. But with the increasing use of agile methodologies in software development, it is observed that the existing quality assurance models do not adapt easily to these methods. In this context, the objective of this research is to propose critical factors of success (CFS) and tools for software development and management environment using agile methods, focusing on quality. Thus, initially, a literature review was conducted in SCOPUS and SCIELO bases, identifying 21 CFS, which were grouped into three categories: Individual; Organizational; and Technical / Process. Based on these factors, a questionnaire was applied to specialists in software management and development, reaching the sample of 101 respondents, with the most important CFS belonging to the Personal category, which reinforces the need for investment in this area. After this field research, a case study was done in a public company that uses traditional methods, making it possible to propose a development and management environment of software, adding the best practices, tools and CFS with the purpose of improve the quality of delivery of the final product. It was also observed the applicability of the agile Scrum method, allied to Kanban, taking advantage of the best practices of both, and how much was relevant in the context of the company, demonstrating the importance of agile methods to improve the quality and productivity of the whole team, including customers and sponsors. In addition, the present work generates an CFS base for knowledge of the academic community.

The paper deals with possibilities of information technologies when improving communicative skills of children with specific disorders, such as autistic spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, mental retardation, etc. The development of an application stemming from the communication system PECS (The Picture Exchange Communication System) and its Czech variant VOKS is the base of this paper to show specificity of the development and verification of software for the given group of handicapped users. The paper shows suitability of using agile methods of software development for a concrete application which is designed for users with specific disorders. It tries to show advantages and disadvantages of new methodologies, particularly Extreme Programming. Agile methodologies of software development appeared in the second half of the 90's of the last century. Thus it concerns new ways which have not been spread massively yet.

Considering the growing utilization of agile methodologies in software development, the tasks execution ends, sometimes, not being efficient. It might consider that, in concern of agile development in small and middle companies, this inefficiency may exists for teams witch the planning sprint development walks side by side with the maintenance of productions software. Therefore, it's notable the propensity to poorness, disorganization, the quality decrease and lateness in tasks finalizations, besides it may became onerous to the professionals to report their own activities. The study of the applicability of an agile methodology like Scrum allied to the Kanban method, allowing the description of a form of mutual use of these instruments, taking advantage of the best of both, it is necessary in this context above, in addition to providing a different perspective arising the results obtained in this analysis expected from this study.

Engineering-based processes and agile methodologies for software development: a comparative case study

Scrum is an agile software development methodology that suggests highly structured and iterative processes of software development by small autonomous teams (Schwaber & Sutherland, 2011). It is hypothesized that Scrum can be implemented in a way that supports and potentially improves Development Team members’ self-control. High self-control yields positive effects in countless life domains (Tangney, Baumeister, & Boone, 2004). One correlative study with 23 Development Teams and a total of 171 team members from an international software company investigated relevant conditions of Scrum to support and improve the self-control of Development Team members. Findings indicate a potential self-control improvement by the creation of a moderate concrete plan, the Sprint Backlog, at the beginning of a development cycle (Sprint), and performing an active team internal progress monitoring during the Sprint in short daily meetings (Daily Scrum Meetings). Planning and monitoring correlated simultaneously with high trait self-control and with low state self-control, indicating a possible self- control improvement through Scrum. Frequent team internal discussions targeting process improvements in Sprint Retrospective Meetings were related to high state self-control. In addition to correlations found with team members’ self-control, high team performance correlated with finishing committed Sprint Backlog Items by the end of the Sprints and reviewing these in the Sprint Review Meetings. Development Team members’ good health and low stress correlated with high team members’ self- control. High team autonomy was an essential requirement of the potential self-control improvement process. Moreover, high team autonomy correlated positively with high team performance and low experienced stress of Development Team members. Adding to these results, one laboratory experiment found indications that Sprint Backlog Item specificity may affect self-control during the processing of that item, suggesting a preference for moderate as opposed to low or highly specific Sprint Backlog Items. A second laboratory experiment failed to reproduce and extend this finding, probably because of the plan specificity operationalization. Overall, theoretical considerations and empirical indications are presented that Scrum could be implemented in a way that supports and potentially improves Development Team members’ self-control and health, reduces Development Team members’ experienced stress, and improves performance of the Development Team.