Conceptual framework and extensible modeling method supporting ontology-based scenario specification

Abstract

In recent decades, scenario-based techniques (scenario methods) for software/systems engineering have been actively employed to resolve intricate engineering problems in complex systems. However, despite the widespread use of scenarios, the lack of a well-established reference framework that systematically organizes key concepts and attributes of scenarios has made the application of such scenario methods more challenging. As a result, engineers who need to utilize scenarios and scenario methods must be assisted by more than systematic guidance at the method level. To address these problems, this study focuses on providing reference framework and modeling method for the development of scenario methods. In order to solidly build a conceptual basis, a literature review is conducted to analyze scenarios and scenario methods used in various engineering fields. Based on the data collected through the survey, a Conceptual Scenario Framework (CSF) is proposed, which defines core components of scenario methods and models. In addition, we develop an Extensible Scenario Modeling Method (ESMM) that supports engineers to perform scenario modeling and domain-specific extension based on the framework’s components. ESMM provides an Extensible Scenario Modeling Language (ESML) consisting of model types and classes that enable both scenario description and ontological analysis. ESML also supports language-level extensions that allow scenario engineers to design domain-specific scenario elements flexibly. This study evaluates the modeling method with existing scenario development methods, suggested in the automated driving system domain. It was confirmed that the language constructs of ESML have semantic expressiveness to serve as a reference framework by analyzing whether they can effectively express the scenario data and characteristics. In addition, the case study results validate that ESMM has the extensibility to be extended and specialized for developing a domain-specific scenario modeling language and adequately supports the ontological analysis of specific application domains.