Towards a Practical Approach to Check UML/fUML Models Consistency Using CSP

This work provides an underpinning for a systems modelling approach based on UML and fUML together. It uses UML state diagrams as a starting point for modelling system object behaviour abstractly, then refining each state diagram by adding the implementation decisions in a form of a fUML activity diagram. Maintaining behavioural consistency between each UML state diagram and its corresponding fUML activity diagram is an important but difficult task. In this paper we introduce a framework that automates checking such consistency in a practical way.

The framework is based on formalizing these diagrams into the process algebra CSP to do trace refinement checking using FDR2. One of the main contributions in this work is that we transform FDR2 output (counter-example in case of inconsistency) back to the UML/fUML model in a way that allows the modeller to debug the consistency problem. To be able to provide this kind of interactive feedback, the generated CSP model is augmented with traceability information. A case tool plugin based on the Epsilon model management framework has been developed to support our approach.