Modeling Multi-Agent Systems using UML
Abstract
Tropos is a framework which offers an approach to guide the development of multi-agent systems (MAS). It relies on the i* notation to describe both requirements and architectural design. However, the use of i* as an architectural description language (ADL) is not suitable, since it presents some limitations to capture all the information required for designing MAS architectures. Recognizing that the Unified Modeling Language 2.0 (UML) supports software architectural description, in this work we present an extension to the UML metamodel to capture the features of agency to support MAS modeling at the architectural level. In doing so, we define a notation to model MAS architectures. Furthermore, we provide a set of heuristics to describe MAS using our UML-based notation derived from an architectural description using i*. We illustrate our approach by modeling a Conference Management System.
References
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Silva, C., Tedesco, P., Castro, J., Pinto, R. (2004) "Comparing Agent-Oriented Methodologies Using a NFR Approach", In Proc. of the 3rd Software Engineering for Large-Scale Multi-Agent Systems (SELMAS'04). Edinburgh, Scotland, p. 1 - 9.
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Silva, C., Castro, J., Tedesco, P., Araújo, J., Moreira, A., Mylopoulos, J. (2006) "Improving the Architectural Design of Multi-Agent Systems: The Tropos Case", In 5th Soft. Engineering for Large-Scale Multi-Agent Systems at ICSE'06 (to appear).
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Braubach, L., Pokahr, A., Lamersdorf, W. (2004) "Jadex: A Short Overview", In 5th Annual International Conf. on Object-Oriented and Internet-based Technologies, Concepts, and Applications for a Networked World (Net.ObjectDays'04), AgentExpo
Castro, J. Kolp, M., Mylopoulos, J. (2002) "Towards Requirements-Driven Information Systems Engineering: The Tropos Project", Information Systems Journal. Volume 27. Elsevier, p. 365 - 89.
FIPA (2004) FIPA (The Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents), Available: http://www.fipa.org
Giorgini, P., Kolp, M., Mylopoulos, J., Castro, J. (2005) "Tropos: A Requirements-Driven Methodology for Agent-Oriented Software", In Henderson-Sellers, B. et al. (eds.): Agent-Oriented Methodologies. Idea Group, p. 20 - 45.
Kolp, M., Giorgini, P., Mylopoulos, J. (2002) "Information Systems Development through Social Structures", In 14th International Conference on Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering (SEKE), Ischia, Italy.
Minsky, N and Muarata, T. (2004) "On Manageability and Robustness of Open Multi-Agent Systems", In: Lucena, C. et al. (eds.): Soft. Eng. for Multi-Agent Systems II: Research Issues and Practical App.. LNCS, Vol. 2940, Springer-Verlag, p. 189 - 206.
Mouratidis, H., Faulkner, S., Kolp, M., Giorgini, P. (2005) "A Secure Architectural Description Language for Agent Systems", In 4th Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS'05). Uthrecht, The Netherlands.
Odell, J., Parunak, H. V. D, Bauer, B. (2000) "Extending UML for agents", In Proc. of the 2nd Int. Bi-Conf. Workshop on Agent-Oriented Information Systems at the 17th National Conf. on Artificial Intelligence, Austin, USA. iCue Publishing, p. 3 - 17.
Rao, A. S. and Georgeff, M. P. (1995) "BDI agents: from theory to practice", Technical Note 56, Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute.
Selic, B. and Rumbaugh, J. (1998) "Using UML for Modeling Complex Real - Time Systems", Rational Whitepaper, Available: http://www.rational.com.
Silva, C., Castro, J., Mylopoulos, J. (2003) "Detailing Architectural Design in Requirements Driven Software Development: The Tropos Case", In Proceedings of the XVII Simpósio Brasileiro de Engenharia de Software, Manaus, Brasil, p. 85 - 93.
Silva, V., Garcia, A., Brandão, A., Chavez, C., Lucena, C., Alencar, P. (2003) "Taming Agents and Objects in Software Engineering", In: Garcia, A. et al. (eds.): Soft. Eng. for Large-Scale Multi-Agent Systems. LNCS, Vol. 2603. Springer-Verlag, p. 1 - 25.
Silva, V. and Lucena, C. (2004) "From a Conceptual Framework for Agents and Objects to a Multi-Agent System Modeling Language", In: Sycara, K. et al. (eds.): Journal of Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 9, 1-2, p. 145 - 189.
Silva, C., Tedesco, P., Castro, J., Pinto, R. (2004) "Comparing Agent-Oriented Methodologies Using a NFR Approach", In Proc. of the 3rd Software Engineering for Large-Scale Multi-Agent Systems (SELMAS'04). Edinburgh, Scotland, p. 1 - 9.
Silva, V., Noya, R., Lucena, C. (2005) "Using the UML 2.0 activity diagram to model agent plans and actions", In 4th Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS'05). Uthrecht, The Netherlands, p. 594 - 600.
Silva, C., Castro, J., Tedesco, P., Araújo, J., Moreira, A., Mylopoulos, J. (2006) "Improving the Architectural Design of Multi-Agent Systems: The Tropos Case", In 5th Soft. Engineering for Large-Scale Multi-Agent Systems at ICSE'06 (to appear).
Shaw, M. and Garlan, D. (1996) Software Architecture: Perspectives on an Emerging Discipline. Prentice Hall.
Sommerville, I. (2001) Software Engineering - Ed.6. Addison Wesley.
OMG (2004) Meta Object Facility (MOF) 2.0 Core Specification, Available: http://www.omg.org/docs/ptc/04-10-15.pdf.
OMG (2005) Unified Modeling Language (UML): Superstructure. Version 2.0, Available: http://www.omg.org/docs/formal/05-07-04.pdf.
Wooldridge, M. (2002) An Introduction to Multiagent Systems. John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. England, p. 15 - 103.
Yu, E. (1995) Modelling Strategic Relationships for Process Reengineering. Ph.D. thesis. Department of Computer Science. University of Toronto, Canada.
Zambonelli, F., Jennings, N., Wooldridge, M. (2003) "Developing Multiagent Systems: the Gaia Methodology", In ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology, 12, 3, p. 317 - 370.
Published
2006-10-16
How to Cite
SILVA, Carla; ARAÚJO, João; MOREIRA, Ana; CASTRO, Jaelson; TEDESCO, Patrícia; ALENCAR, Fernanda; RAMOS, Ricardo.
Modeling Multi-Agent Systems using UML. In: BRAZILIAN SYMPOSIUM ON SOFTWARE ENGINEERING (SBES), 20. , 2006, Florianópolis.
Anais [...].
Porto Alegre: Sociedade Brasileira de Computação,
2006
.
p. 81-96.
ISSN 2833-0633.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/sbes.2006.21206.
