Intertwined Modeling and Implementation of Interactive Systems Using HOPS

Abstract

The paper investigates the co-evolution of models and implementations of interactive systems within the model-based design paradigm. A view of implementations as pure results of top-down model refinements is rejected. On the one hand, models inform or even drive further design and implementation steps. On the other hand, implementation ideas emerge during the iterative development process. They can be evaluated and further explored by models. In particular, selective modeling allows to focus attention on certain aspects of the interaction.Higher-Order Processes Specifications (HOPS) describe interactive systems from different viewpoints and at different levels of granularity. The HOPS tool is used to suggest techniques for intertwining modeling and implementation activities. Object-oriented implementations in Java can be assigned to HOPS models. Their animation results in model-guided prototyping open for both empirical and analytical evaluation.