Formalizing the UML in a Systems Engineering Approach

This discussion note argues for embedding any formalization of semiformal notations in a methodology. I present a methodological framework for software specification based on systems engineering and show how the UML fits into this framework. Next, an essential modeling approach to formalizing the UML within this framework is argued. Finally, a transition system semantics for the UML is discussed, that fits this semantics approach. No formal details are given, but references are given to places where these can be found. 1 Formalism and Method Current research of several research groups is oriented to formalizing diagrammatic specification techniques [5, 9, 20, 37]. There is a close connection between the intended semantics of a notation for system specifications on the one hand and the intended method for system specification on the other. For example, if the method distinguishes a specification level from an implementation (programming language) level, as is done in Syntropy [6], then..