The adaptive use case methodology for software development proposed by Carlson and Hurlbutt [1997, 1998] forms the backdrop for this paper. Their methodology integrates the software design, development and testing processes through a series of design preserving, algorithmic transformations. This paper focuses on the software testing metrics used in the generation of object oriented test plans as part of that methodology. During the design phase, interaction diagrams are developed from which use case action matrices are then generated. A use case action matrix contains a collection of related scenarios each describing a specific variant of an executable sequence of use case actions. The proposed software testing metrics are employed to improve the productivity of the testing process through scenario prioritization.

Too often, students in undergraduate computer science programs come to equate computer science with the "nuts and bolts" of the field---programming, data structures, algorithms, operating systems, programming languages and so forth. If we are to attract students to computer science and produce graduates who will excel in the profession, we must broaden our students' perspective on our discipline. In this paper, we examine an initiative that seeks to broaden the undergraduate computer science experience by introducing three new elements into the curriculum: a first-year experience that focuses on the challenges of computer science, a fourth-year experience that focuses on the initial stages of the software design process, and a student portfolio that unifies the existing curriculum, broadens its content, and provides us with a mechanism for assessing the growth of our students' technical and non-technical skills.

Active object-oriented database systems (AOODBSs) are based on the object-oriented paradigm and provide an event driven behavior for implementing time critical reactions by integrating event-condition-action (ECA) rules to the database. We focus on the modeling aspects of AOODBSs. We propose an integrated approach, called A/OODBMT (Active Object-Oriented Database Modeling Technique), which integrates and extends the Object Modeling Technique (OMT) method for conceptually designing active object-oriented database applications. A/OODBMT models database applications by defining and integrating four new types of models, namely the nested object model (NOM), the behavior model (BM), the nested rule model (NRM), and the nested event model (NEM).

Testing is a critical component of a mature software development process. It is one of the most challenging and costly process activities, and in its fullest definition if provides strong support for the development of high qualify software. Existing maturity models do not adequately address testing issues, nor has the concept of a mature testing process been well defined. We are developing a Testing Maturity Model (TMM) to address these issues. The TMM will contain a set of maturity levels through which an organization can progress towards testing process maturity, a set of recommended practices at each level of maturity that can be put into place, and an assessment model that will allow software development organizations to evaluate and improve their testing processes. In this paper we discuss our approach to TMM development, the major features of the TMM, its ties to the Capability Maturity Model, and our initial plans for a Testers' Tool Workbench that will support testing process maturity growth.

The authors propose a multi-level and multi-degree form interface which can effectively overcome the ambiguity problems existing in current form interfaces. They also describe a theoretical framework which enables a system to assist designers in the construction of forms. The concept of hierarchical relational views is presented as a conceptual basis for the discussion of updatability in the form interface. Levels of supportability of the hierarchical relational views are defined. Such a foundation allows the system to create valid form. The scope of update operations for end users to utilize the form interface is also well defined. This form interface has been developed as part of a suite of database interfaces focusing on the multiplicity of data management requirements of office personnel.>

This paper describes the Update Protocol Model (UPM), a formal language for the expression of database update semantics. UPM has been used primarily to capture and communicate in a precise and uniform notation the plethora of database semantics described by a variety of "fourth generation" models, many of which are imprecise when it comes to update semantics. Several computing trends–knowledge-based expert systems, distributed database management systems, and new applications based on higher order semantic models–point to the need for modeling techniques beyond that which current data models such as the relational and entity-relationship models provide.

The normalization of a relation is a well-defined process which is carried out to realize advantages not obtainable in the original relation. It is shown that, along with its intuitive appeal, the process is theoretically sound.

This paper examines three areas where the application of functional dependency theory to relational databases has had an impact. These areas are relational views, database translation and logical database design. The paper refines our earlier work on relational views in which the concepts of consistent and updatable views were proposed. In the area of database translation, it identifies six levels of information preserving relational transformations. Finally, a relational database design algorithm is proposed which combines the best features of the classical synthesis and decomposition approaches while avoiding their identified shortcomings.

To support the relational view concept, a relational DBMS must be capable of correctly translating view updates into equivalent updates of the underlying database. This paper describes a constructive approach to supporting view updates for a broad class of views. This is accomplished by first identifying a class of views whose interpretations are consistent with the interpretation of the underlying database. Then, procedures for translating updates are described which preserve the consistency of these interpretations.

The myriad data structures provided by contemporary programming languages and data base management systems can no longer be differentiated by affixing a hopefully unique name to each one. Instead it is advisable to concentrate on the basic characteristics and qualities which make one data structure similar to or different from another. This paper proffers a model for common ‘aggregate’ data structures (including arrays, matrices, n-tuples, sequences, hierarchies, and sets) based upon this idea. The data structure model delineates an n-dimensional space of possible data structures; each ‘axis’ of the space records one major characteristic for the class of aggregate data structures. Each axis is expressed as a question and a list of possible answers. The question describes the characteristic and the set of answers list the variations among the popular aggregates. A particular data structuring technique may be concretely defined by determining its value along each axis; thus, the need for individual descriptive names is lessened. Since this model is motivated by an analysis of the variations observed among a collection of actual data structures, it is called an ‘analysis’ model. This kind of model is useful for selecting, comparing, and teaching data structures, as well as for simply understanding exactly what a data structure is.

An Access Path Producing LanguagE (APPLE) has been developed which permits users to formulate completely non-procedural queries expressed solely in terms of attribute names. The responsibility for programming or specifying the access path by which a query is resolved has thus been shifted from the user to the system. Examples are presented which illustrate the procedures by which the system determines an access path. The problems to be found in this approach are also described, and techniques required to solve these problems are presented.