projects page index

OPEN

The OPEN project grew out of an earlier successful COTAR project: COMMA. In the COMMA project in 1995, COTAR members identified the implicit metamodels of a large number (14) of the then-existing OO methods (largely modelling languages rather than true methods or processes). From this research, a common metamodel was derived and this became the basis for the development in the subsequent years of the OPEN Modelling Language and the OPEN Process Framework.

OPEN is a full lifecycle process framework which draws together the older MOSES, SOMA, Firesmith and Synthesis methodologies. The team responsible numbers well over 35 internationally led primarily from COTAR. It is the flagship project of COTAR. OPEN is used by many industries around the world, including Myriad Solutions in Australia, Lante Corporation in USA, Israel Electricity Company, Interactive Objects Software GmbH in Germany and many more. It is regularly featured at international conferences and now has its own webpage at www.open.org.au

A new and important project in which COTAR has become involved is the EU-funded OOSPICE project which aims to build on top of OPEN a CBD process metamodel and model together with a capability assessment reference model. The latter of these is to be undertaken (over the period Dec 2000 to Dec 2002) with researchers at Griffith University as well as partners in Europe (primarily UK, Sweden and Austria). An ATN grant has been awarded to Henderson-Sellers to support part of this work in 2001.

migration

A new project in organizational migration and technology transfer was finally funded in 1999 having been several years in gestation. This involves academic staff (including Wilson, Hughes, Henderson-Sellers, Constantine and Serour) and students in action research and survey work with local industry. The aim is to elucidate the best way for an industry to migrate to adopting an OO or CBD style of software development. This involves not only technology transfer and diffusion issues but also organizational and change management.

metrics

Metrics is an important component of process but also can be a research topic in its own right. During 2000, a new pilot project on metrics for requirements engineering has been undertaken by Henderson-Sellers and Zowghi assisted by research assistants Parasuram and Klemola. Other areas of focus in 2000 have been the cognitive metrics work of Klemola (supervised at that time by Henderson-Sellers and Rist).