Requirements Modeling for Multi-Agent Systems

Abstract

[EN] In this work we proposed a requirements modeling process for MAS. The approach is organized into two main activities: Requirements Definition and Requirements Specification. In the Requirements Definition activity the following is modeled: (a) the organizational structure and structural properties of the system; (b) the functional behavior of the system; and (c) the domain entities and their relationships. In the Requirements Specification activity the requirements specifications are refined, identifying: (a) the interactions on which the social behavior of the system is based; (b) the mains activities which conform the functional behavior of each role; (c) the permissions of the roles in the domain entities; and (d) the structural and functional behavior. This process supports the four perspectives that characterize a MAS: organizational, structural, functional and social behavior. We believe that this proposal addresses the need for a requirements modeling process for MAS because it incorporates specific abstractions needed to capture and specify these four perspectives. In particular, the definition and specification of features of social behavior at the requirements level will increase the quality of specifications, thus providing the expressiveness needed by the MAS in an early stage of the software development process.