title: Formal Definitions for Design Spaces and Traces

authors: Bowen, Judy

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Within the domain of interactive system development and design, particularly for safety-critical systems, there is an inherent tension between formalisms used for software engineering methodologies and the creative aspects of design. In this paper we consider how we might better unify these by way of a framework for design spaces and design artefacts. We present formal definitions for simple and complex design spaces and then describe how they are incorporated into traces. We then discuss how these can be used to reason about considerations such as preservation of requirements and iterative changes throughout the design process and provide some small examples of this.

text: Formal Definitions for Design Spaces and Traces Within the domain of interactive system development and design, particularly for safety-critical systems, there is an inherent tension between formalisms used for software engineering methodologies and the creative aspects of design. In this paper we consider how we might better unify these by way of a framework for design spaces and design artefacts. We present formal definitions for simple and complex design spaces and then describe how they are incorporated into traces. We then discuss how these can be used to reason about considerations such as preservation of requirements and iterative changes throughout the design process and provide some small examples of this.

year: 2017

title: Formal models for user interface design artefacts

authors: Bowen, Judy

subjects: formal methods

abstract: There are many different ways of building software applications and of tackling the problems of understanding the system to be built, designing that system and finally implementing the design. One approach is to use formal methods, which we can generalise as meaning we follow a process which uses some formal language to specify the behaviour of the intended system, techniques such as theorem proving or model-checking to ensure the specification is valid (i.e., meets the requirements and has been shown, perhaps by proof or other means of inspection, to have the properties the client requires of it) and a refinement process to transform the specification into an implementation. Conversely, the approach we take may be less structured and rely on informal techniques. The design stage may involve jotting down ideas on paper, brainstorming with users etc. We may use prototyping to transform these ideas into working software and get users to test the implementation to find problems. Formal methods have been shown to be beneficial in describing the functionality of systems, what we may call application logic, and underlying system behaviour. Informal techniques, however, have also been shown to be useful in the design of the user interface to systems. Given that both styles of development are beneficial to different parts of the system we would like to be able to use both approaches in one integrated software development process. Their differences, however, make this a challenging objective. In this paper we describe models and techniques which allow us to incorporate informal design artefacts into a formal software development process.

text: Formal models for user interface design artefacts There are many different ways of building software applications and of tackling the problems of understanding the system to be built, designing that system and finally implementing the design. One approach is to use formal methods, which we can generalise as meaning we follow a process which uses some formal language to specify the behaviour of the intended system, techniques such as theorem proving or model-checking to ensure the specification is valid (i.e., meets the requirements and has been shown, perhaps by proof or other means of inspection, to have the properties the client requires of it) and a refinement process to transform the specification into an implementation. Conversely, the approach we take may be less structured and rely on informal techniques. The design stage may involve jotting down ideas on paper, brainstorming with users etc. We may use prototyping to transform these ideas into working software and get users to test the implementation to find problems. Formal methods have been shown to be beneficial in describing the functionality of systems, what we may call application logic, and underlying system behaviour. Informal techniques, however, have also been shown to be useful in the design of the user interface to systems. Given that both styles of development are beneficial to different parts of the system we would like to be able to use both approaches in one integrated software development process. Their differences, however, make this a challenging objective. In this paper we describe models and techniques which allow us to incorporate informal design artefacts into a formal software development process.

year: 2008

title: Ko te Kōauau: Its historical journey, aspects of construction, socio-cultural relevance, and performance

authors: Komene, Jo'el

subjects: Koauau

abstract: In recent years there has been a revival of interest in traditional Māori musical instruments, including the Kōauau (sometimes called a  flute ). Most of the information on record is from Pākehā perspectives of music and culture. This thesis studies Kōauau in a Māori framework, giving weight to traditional Māori knowledge and practices, while bringing together much scattered information. The research links the origins/whakapapa of the Kōauau to the gods and their natural world, especially Hineraukatauri. The thesis analyses the materials used for Kōauau, the circumstances under which materials were acquired, their significance, design and methods of construction, and the tools employed in making Kōauau. The study discusses techniques for playing Kōauau, including its range of sounds, occasions on which they were played, and for what purposes they were used. Reference is made to the story of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai, with the suggestion that more knowledge can be drawn from pakiwaitara and pūrākau. As part of the research, several Kōauau available in the Auckland Museum were examined, showing that close inspection of these taonga significantly extended the information on them held by the Museum. Despite the constraints of the research in terms of time and other resources, the thesis makes an important contribution to knowledge, by collating widely distributed documentation into a concise form, by placing the Kōauau into a Māori perspective, emphasizing the spiritual dimensions of the instrument in its origins and its function, and by indicating what kinds of further research will assist in strengthening the revival of the Kōauau.

text: Ko te Kōauau: Its historical journey, aspects of construction, socio-cultural relevance, and performance In recent years there has been a revival of interest in traditional Māori musical instruments, including the Kōauau (sometimes called a  flute ). Most of the information on record is from Pākehā perspectives of music and culture. This thesis studies Kōauau in a Māori framework, giving weight to traditional Māori knowledge and practices, while bringing together much scattered information. The research links the origins/whakapapa of the Kōauau to the gods and their natural world, especially Hineraukatauri. The thesis analyses the materials used for Kōauau, the circumstances under which materials were acquired, their significance, design and methods of construction, and the tools employed in making Kōauau. The study discusses techniques for playing Kōauau, including its range of sounds, occasions on which they were played, and for what purposes they were used. Reference is made to the story of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai, with the suggestion that more knowledge can be drawn from pakiwaitara and pūrākau. As part of the research, several Kōauau available in the Auckland Museum were examined, showing that close inspection of these taonga significantly extended the information on them held by the Museum. Despite the constraints of the research in terms of time and other resources, the thesis makes an important contribution to knowledge, by collating widely distributed documentation into a concise form, by placing the Kōauau into a Māori perspective, emphasizing the spiritual dimensions of the instrument in its origins and its function, and by indicating what kinds of further research will assist in strengthening the revival of the Kōauau.

year: 2008