Derivation methods for hybrid knowledge bases with rules and ontologies

Trabalho apresentado no âmbito do Mestrado em Engenharia Informática, como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

Derivation and consistency checking of models in early software product line engineering

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Informática

User-centric product derivation in software product lines

Software Product Line (SPL) engineering aims at achieving efficient development of software products in a specific domain. New products are obtained via a process which entails creating a new configuration specifying the desired product’s features. This configuration must necessarily conform to a variability model, that describes the scope of the SPL, or else it is not viable. To ensure this, configuration tools are used that do not allow invalid configurations to be expressed. A different concern, however, is making sure that a product addresses the stakeholders’ needs as best as possible. The stakeholders may not be experts on the domain, so they may have unrealistic expectations. Also, the scope of the SPL is determined not only by the domain but also by limitations of the development platforms. It is therefore possible that the desired set of features goes beyond what is possible to currently create with the SPL. This means that configuration tools should provide support not only for creating valid products, but also for improving satisfaction of user concerns. We address this goal by providing a user-centric configuration process that offers suggestions during the configuration process, based on the use of soft constraints, and identifying and explaining potential conflicts that may arise. Suggestions help mitigating stakeholder uncertainty and poor domain knowledge, by helping them address well known and desirable domain-related concerns. On the other hand, automated conflict identification and explanation helps the stakeholders to understand the trade-offs required for realizing their vision, allowing informed resolution of conflicts. Additionally, we propose a prototype-based approach to configuration, that addresses the order-dependency issues by allowing the complete (or partial) specification of the features in a single step. A subsequent resolution process will then identify possible repairs, or trade-offs, that may be required for viabilization.

Les acanthopleurocératinés portugais et leurs relations avec les formes subboréales

The evolution of the Portuguese Acanthopleuroceratinae is similar to the celto-souabe succession such as it was described in the collects of the Cottards (Cher, France). A subspecies of one of the oldest Acanthopleuroceras (A. carinatum atlanticum) is abundant in the lower part of the Portuguese Ibex zone; this form is described here. The species is recognized in France by several nuclei associated with A. arietiforme (Cottards-22). Generally the similarity between the successive French and Portuguese populations (A. maugenesti, A. valdani, A. alisiense, junior synonym of A. lepidum TUTCHER and TRUEMAN, 1925), is very good. This fact suggests their specific identity. It is typical for A. lepidum of which the greatest populations allow the biometric comparaisons. In Portugal, the mesogean Tropidaceras are missing. This absence of the subboreal Acanthopleuroceras ancestors suggests the straight celto-souabe derivation of the Portuguese Acanthopleuroceras and not a similar local evolution. A. lepidum the last Acanthopleuroceras reaches the western coast of Canada (British Columbia) probably by the Arctic ocean.

Negative non-ground queries in well founded semantics

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Computational Logic

Enhancement of an implemented rating model and impact on existing risk management processes: A hands-on approach from financial supplier risk management within the automotive industry

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a methodical drawback analysis of a financial supplier risk management approach which is currently implemented in the automotive industry. Based on identified methodical flaws, the risk assessment model is further developed by introducing a malus system which incorporates hidden risks into the model and by revising the derivation of the most central risk measure in the current model. Both methodical changes lead to significant enhancements in terms of risk assessment accuracy, supplier identification and workload efficiency.