NASA 1996 SBIR Phase I

PROJECT TITLE : : Intent Specifications

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)

Specifications should provide bridges between the groups working on a system: Many problems in building complex systems today and most accidents in operational systems arise in the interfaces between components---the hardware, software, and humans (operators). We need specification methodologies that ease coordinated design of components and interfaces, and that provide seamless transitions between the development and maintenance stages. Safeware Engineering Corporation proposes to investigate the feasibility of a new software development methodology based on intent specifications that supports both general system development and system safety analysis. The design rationale and other information that is normally lost during development are preserved in a single, logically-structured document. Requirements and constraints are traceable (in both directions) from the topmost goals to physical design. Intent specifications are based on the fundamental principles of problem-solving and abstraction that humans use to make complex tasks intellectually manageable. Intent specifications can potentially reduce costs due to requirements changes, provide more efficient ways to record design rationale information, enhance the early systems engineering process, assist in finding problems early, shorten training periods for new project members, and reduce the effort needed to make changes and to reanalyze and test after changes have been made.

Safeware Engineering Corporation proposes to develop an intent specification editor based on the results of the Phase I effort. The editor will support existing specification languages. It will also interface with a hazard database. The potential market of the intent specification editor is all large-scale software development. Systems engineering efforts will also be supported. Intent specifications will be especially helpful for projects with safety-critical or mission-critical constraints.

Jon Damon Reese
7200 Lower Ridge Rd., Unit B
Everett, WA 98203-4925