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Software engineering for supply chains: Software engineering for supply chains:

Professor Aditya GhoseProfessor Aditya Ghose

DirectorDirector

Decision Systems LabDecision Systems Lab

University of WollongongUniversity of Wollongong

aditya@uow.edu.auaditya@uow.edu.auDecision SystemsLaboratory

University ofWollongong

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

Key steps in SEKey steps in SE

Requirements engineeringRequirements engineering Software specificationSoftware specification CodingCoding Verification, validation, testingVerification, validation, testing MaintenanceMaintenance

All of these questions are of interest to supply All of these questions are of interest to supply chains!chains!

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

SE for SCsSE for SCs

We will look at supply chain:We will look at supply chain: ModelingModeling ConfigurationConfiguration OptimizationOptimization SimulationSimulation Execution and monitoringExecution and monitoring

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

Current projects @ Decision Current projects @ Decision Systems Lab, University of Systems Lab, University of

WollongongWollongong Constraint-based production scheduling (steel sector)Constraint-based production scheduling (steel sector) Integrated constraint-based planning and scheduling (steel Integrated constraint-based planning and scheduling (steel

sector)sector) Constraint and market-oriented programming in scheduling Constraint and market-oriented programming in scheduling

(steel sector)(steel sector) Optimal truck dispatch systems (mining sector)Optimal truck dispatch systems (mining sector) Optimal manpower scheduling (with an employment agency)Optimal manpower scheduling (with an employment agency) Enterprise modeling (with a government emergency services Enterprise modeling (with a government emergency services

agency)agency) Organization learning (defence sector)Organization learning (defence sector)

……in addition to R&D into new technologies (constraint in addition to R&D into new technologies (constraint programming, agent technologies, automated negotiation, programming, agent technologies, automated negotiation, software engineering)software engineering)

Current total funding: Current total funding: Approx. $2 millionApprox. $2 million

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

Supply chain Supply chain modelingmodeling

A range of techniques, from diagrammatic, to A range of techniques, from diagrammatic, to mathematicalmathematical

Problems:Problems: No single notation is adequateNo single notation is adequate No means of modeling stakeholder No means of modeling stakeholder intentions intentions (why was (why was

the supply chain configured in this way? What were the the supply chain configured in this way? What were the high-level stakeholder goals? What were the original high-level stakeholder goals? What were the original intentions to achieve these?)intentions to achieve these?)

Model revisionModel revision Re-engineeringRe-engineering Executable modelsExecutable models

Methodological questions:Methodological questions: Modeling methodologiesModeling methodologies Model maintenance/revision/re-engineering Model maintenance/revision/re-engineering

methodologiesmethodologies

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

Intentional modellingIntentional modelling

Key challenges in modern software development:Key challenges in modern software development:

Understanding and representing the organizational context Understanding and representing the organizational context

in which the target system will be situatedin which the target system will be situated

Making explicit the Making explicit the intentionalintentional aspects of aspects of allall artefacts artefacts

developed over the software life-cycledeveloped over the software life-cycle

““Why Why was this design decision taken?”was this design decision taken?”

““What were the analyst’s What were the analyst’s intentionsintentions in formulating this in formulating this

requirement?”requirement?”

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

Intentional Intentional

modelling:IImodelling:II Representing intentions and organizational context are Representing intentions and organizational context are

important for several reasons:important for several reasons:

Managing change (requirements evolution, design modifications, Managing change (requirements evolution, design modifications,

code updatescode updates

Re-engineeringRe-engineering

Notions of requirements/design rationale are well-known, yet Notions of requirements/design rationale are well-known, yet

not reflected in modelling notationsnot reflected in modelling notations

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

Augmenting Augmenting supply chain supply chain

modelingmodelingAgent-Oriented Conceptual ModelingAgent-Oriented Conceptual Modeling

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

Why Why Agent-Oriented Agent-Oriented

Modelling?Modelling?

Intentionality is an inherently Intentionality is an inherently anthropomorphic anthropomorphic notionnotion

The notion of an agent buys us a repertoire of The notion of an agent buys us a repertoire of

anthropomorphic (modelling) handles: anthropomorphic (modelling) handles: beliefs, goals, plans, beliefs, goals, plans,

tasks, dependencies, optimization objectivestasks, dependencies, optimization objectives

Agent metaphor powerful in modelling organizational contextsAgent metaphor powerful in modelling organizational contexts

This does not commit us to agent-oriented software This does not commit us to agent-oriented software

developmentdevelopment

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

The The i*i* modelling modelling frameworkframework

Models built around the organizing locus of an actor/agentModels built around the organizing locus of an actor/agent

Social modelling via inter-agent dependenciesSocial modelling via inter-agent dependencies

Internal intentional aspects of actors modelled via: goals, Internal intentional aspects of actors modelled via: goals,

softgoals softgoals (these are novel)(these are novel), goal decompositions, task , goal decompositions, task

decompositions.decompositions.

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

An industry-scale An industry-scale applicationapplication

Enterprise modelling for an emergency services agencyEnterprise modelling for an emergency services agency

Unique IT infrastructure: normally dormant, “wakes up” for Unique IT infrastructure: normally dormant, “wakes up” for

emergenciesemergencies

Modelling process can be slowModelling process can be slow

Elicitation poses major challengesElicitation poses major challenges

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

The components of The components of i*i* modelling frameworkmodelling framework

The Strategic Dependency Model (SD)The Strategic Dependency Model (SD)

The Strategic Rationale Model (SR)The Strategic Rationale Model (SR)

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

NotationNotation

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

The Strategic The Strategic Dependency Models: Dependency Models:

An ExampleAn Example

A Strategic Dependency model for computer A Strategic Dependency model for computer

based training systembased training system

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

A Strategic Dependency model for A Strategic Dependency model for computer based training systemcomputer based training system

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

The Strategic The Strategic Rationale Models: An Rationale Models: An

ExampleExample Strategic Rationale model for computer based Strategic Rationale model for computer based

training system (Describing intentional training system (Describing intentional

relationships that are “internal” to actors)relationships that are “internal” to actors)

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

Strategic Rationale Strategic Rationale model for computer model for computer

based training based training systemsystem

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

Supply chain Supply chain configurationconfiguration

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Decision Systems LaboratoryUniversity of Wollongong

Supply chain configuration: IISupply chain configuration: II

We need configuration tools that:We need configuration tools that: Incorporate an explicit notion of stakeholder goals and Incorporate an explicit notion of stakeholder goals and

softgoals softgoals (optimization objectives/performance goals)(optimization objectives/performance goals) Permit users to explore the implications of alternative Permit users to explore the implications of alternative

configurations on stakeholder goals and softgoalsconfigurations on stakeholder goals and softgoals Exploit the technology for executable models (discussed Exploit the technology for executable models (discussed

earlier)earlier) Incorporate existing network configuration technologyIncorporate existing network configuration technology

Methodological questions:Methodological questions: Procedures for articulating in detail special classes of Procedures for articulating in detail special classes of

softgoals (such as softgoals (such as safetysafety)) Overall configuration methodologyOverall configuration methodology