Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 22:51:20 GMT Server: Apache/1.0.5 Content-type: text/html Content-length: 5525 Last-modified: Tue, 08 Oct 1996 18:57:10 GMT Arthur Alexander Reyes

Arthur Alexander Reyes


Research Area:

DOMAIN THEORY EVOLUTION

A domain theory is a formal representation of application domain knowledge with declarative semantics. A domain theory is represented by an algebraic specification. A domain theory can serve as an organizational centerpiece in a domain-oriented software development environment, providing a collection of languages for specifying and implementing application programs within the domain, along with axioms providing semantics for those languages.

As the application domain itself evolves with the adoption of new technologies, obsolescence of old technologies, and extension of software artifacts, the domain theory must evolve in parallel. If the domain theory does not evolve in parallel, there is a risk that the tools which rely on the domain theory will become obsolete. Because domain theories are mathematical objects, it may be impossible for domain experts to evolve the domain theory without significant training in knowledge representation and artificial intelligence. Such training may not be practical. Hence knowledge engineers, who initially constructed the domain theory in consultation with domain experts, may become a bottleneck in the evolution of the domain theory.

The discipline of knowledge acquisition has sought to provide domain experts with tools by which they can evolve domain models (distinguished from domain theories by not having the requirement for declarative semantics) without assistance from knowledge engineers. The discipline of algebraic specification has sought to provide mechanisms to structure formal objects in a manner independent of the syntax and semantics of the languages used to represent those objects.

Domain Theory Evolution is the application of algebraic specification research results to the problems of knowledge acquisition. This application has illuminated the space of possible ways in which domain theories can be evolved and consequently shown how existing knowledge acquisition tools address only tiny portions of that space. Research in domain theory evolution seeks to establish a synergy between the disciplines of knowledge acquisition and algebraic specification. It is hoped that this synergy will lead to the discover of powerful and interesting new tools for knowledge acquisition.

This work takes place within the context of the Amphion Project.

Publications:

Arthur A. Reyes, "An Approach to Automatic Generation of Domain Theories from Intuitive, Semiformal Domain Models" Proceedings of the California Software Symposium CSS'96, W. Scacchi & R. Taylor, eds., 17 April 1996, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. USC Center for Software Engineering, UCI Irvine Research Unit in Software.

David R. Britton, Jr., Arthur A. Reyes,"Discovering Usability Improvements for Mosaic: Application of The Contextual Inquiry Technique with an Expert User," Second International World-Wide Web Conference: Mosaic and the Web, Chicago, IL, USA, 17-20 Oct. 1994.(HTML version)

Other Writings:

Arthur A. Reyes, "Structuring Languages as Algebraic Specifications: A Framework for Multilingual System Representation," 23 June 1995, University of California-Irvine, Department of Information and Computer Science Technical Report 95-23.

Arthur A. Reyes, "A Methodology to Implement Gourlay's Mathematical Framework for the Investigation of Testing," University of California-Irvine, Department of Information and Computer Science, Course ICS280F Specification-Based Testing and Analysis Techniques, Professor Debra J. Richardson, Winter Quarter 1993.


Department of Information and Computer Science,
University of California, Irvine CA 92717-3425