@conference {161, title = {An HLA-based BPMN extension for the specification of business process collaborations}, booktitle = {Proceedings - 2017 IEEE/ACM 21st International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications, DS-RT 2017}, year = {2017}, publisher = {Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.}, organization = {Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.}, abstract = {

Inter-organization business process collaboration is one of the most significant factors driving today{\textquoteright}s global business development. Such collaborations are typically composed by various processes executed by different organizations and are often difficult to specify and analyze, due to their distributed nature and to data interoperability issues. The standard notation for business process modeling, namely BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation), only provides a limited support to the specification of collaborations. This paper introduces a data model extension of BPMN inspired by the HLA (High Level Architecture) distributed simulation standard. In addition, the paper proposes a metamodel-based mapping from BPMN to HLA, which can be seen as a significant step towards the implementation of a conceptual framework for specifying and analyzing collaborative business processes by use of distributed simulation approaches. {\textcopyright} 2017 IEEE.

}, keywords = {Business process collaborations, Business process model, Collaborative business process, Conceptual frameworks, Data interoperability, Distributed simulations, High level architecture, Inter-organization, Specifications, Systems engineering}, isbn = {9781538640289}, doi = {10.1109/DISTRA.2017.8167668}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85042934707\&doi=10.1109\%2fDISTRA.2017.8167668\&partnerID=40\&md5=6c81677377651843e2f16ce6cf4cc261}, author = {Bocciarelli, P. and D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio, A. and Paglia, E. and Giglio, A.} } @conference {Antonacci2016124, title = {A BPMN-based automated approach for the analysis of healthcare processes}, booktitle = {Proceedings - 25th IEEE International Conference on Enabling Technologies: Infrastructure for Collaborative Enterprises, WETICE 2016}, year = {2016}, note = {cited By 0}, pages = {124-129}, publisher = {Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.}, organization = {Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.}, abstract = {

Healthcare organizations are increasingly pushed to improve the quality of care service taking into account the increasing complexity in patient treatment and the continuous reduction of available resources. The adoption of Business Process Management (BPM) practices is thus becoming a key enabler for the improvement of healthcare processes (HPs). Accordingly, methods and tools are required to address behavioral and performance aspects from the early phases of the process lifecycle in order to improve the quality of healthcare, reduce costly reworks and increase the effectiveness of BPM approaches. This paper specifically addresses the specification and analysis phases of the process lifecycle and introduces a model-driven method for healthcare process simulation. The proposed method is based on a model transformation approach that takes as input the process specification in BPMN, appropriately extended to include the performance properties of the process, and yields as output the corresponding process simulation code, ready to be executed. In order to illustrate the method and its effectiveness, the paper describes an example application to a process dealing with the hip fracture for elderly patients. {\textcopyright} 2016 IEEE.

}, keywords = {Administrative data processing, BPMN, Business process management, Enterprise resource management, Health care, Healthcare process, Life cycle, Model transformation, Patient treatment, Process simulations, Specifications}, isbn = {9781509016631}, doi = {10.1109/WETICE.2016.35}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84983805389\&partnerID=40\&md5=524846f6fc6c8c3f937421168f86515c}, author = {Antonacci, G. and Calabrese, A. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and Giglio, A. and Intrigila, B. and Ghiron, N.L.}, editor = {Reddy S.M., Gaaloul W.} } @article {Bocciarelli2014573, title = {A model-driven method for enacting the design-time QoS analysis of business processes}, journal = {Software and Systems Modeling}, volume = {13}, number = {2}, year = {2014}, note = {cited By 6}, pages = {573-598}, publisher = {Springer Verlag}, abstract = {

Business Process Management (BPM) is a holistic approach for describing, analyzing, executing, managing, and improving large enterprise business processes. A business process can be seen as a flow of tasks that are orchestrated to accomplish well-defined goals such as goods production or services delivery. From an IT perspective, BPM is closely related to a business process automation approach carried out by use of IT standards and technologies, such as service-oriented architectures (SOAs) and Web Services. This paper specifically focuses on fully automated business processes that are defined and executed as orchestrations of software services. In a BPM context, the ability to predict at design time the business process behavior assumes a strategic relevance, both to early assess whether or not the business goals are achieved and to gain a competitive advantage. A business process is typically specified by use of Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN), the standard language for the high-level description of business processes. Unfortunately, BPMN does not support the characterization of the business process in terms of nonfunctional or QoS properties, such as performance and reliability. To overcome such a limitation, this paper introduces Performability-enabled BPMN (PyBPMN), a lightweight BPMN extension for the specification of performance and reliability properties. PyBPMN enables the design time prediction of the business processes behavior, in terms of performance and reliability properties. Such prediction activity requires the use of models that are to be first built and then evaluated. In this respect, this work introduces a model-driven method that exploits PyBPMN to predict, at design time, the performance and the reliability of a business process, either to select the process configuration that provides the best behavior or to check if a given configuration satisfies the overall requirements. The proposed model-driven method that enacts the automated analysis of a business process behavior embraces the complete business process development cycle, from the specification phase down to the implementation phase. The paper also describes how the proposed model-driven method is implemented. The several model transformations at the core of the method have been implemented by use of QVT, and the standard language for specifying model transformations provided by OMG{\textquoteright}s MDA. The availability of such automated model transformations allows business analysts to predict the process behavior with no extra effort and without being required to own specific skills of performance or reliability theory, as shown by use of an example application. {\textcopyright} 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

}, keywords = {Administrative data processing, Automation, Availability, BPMN, Business Process, Competition, Design, Enterprise resource management, Forecasting, High level languages, Information services, LQN, Mathematical models, MDA, Performance, Quality of service, Reliability, Service oriented architecture (SOA), Software architecture, Specifications, Web services}, issn = {16191366}, doi = {10.1007/s10270-013-0345-5}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84899754418\&partnerID=40\&md5=ac7ae348f9d39ccb87a9aedb7d7524bd}, author = {Bocciarelli, P. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio} } @conference {Gianni2012310, title = {BOM2UML: Integrating BOM specifications into UML-based development environments}, booktitle = {Simulation Series}, volume = {44}, number = {4 BOOK}, year = {2012}, note = {cited By 0}, pages = {310-317}, abstract = {Base Object Model (BOM) is a standard to define conceptual models that can be reused for the development or the extension of simulation systems based on the IEEE High Level Architecture (HLA). However, BOM specifications suffer from interoperability issues as they cannot be automatically imported into model-driven simulation engineering environments based on UML and related standards. In this paper, we overcome this limitation by introducing BOM2UML, a model transformation to derive standard UML models from a BOM specification. We provide both a conceptual description of the transformation rules and the details of their implementation in ATL, the Atlas Transformation Language. We also show a preliminary output of the proposed transformation, applied to a set of BOM specifications of a simplified military application.}, keywords = {BOM, Computer simulation, HLA, Mathematical models, Model driven development, Model transformation, Specifications, Standards, UML, Unified Modeling Language}, isbn = {9781618397867}, issn = {07359276}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84876472367\&partnerID=40\&md5=60c7fa8c563ba58f48e298b7cc8fb1a1}, author = {Gianni, D. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and Grasso, M.} } @conference {D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio2012234, title = {A method for the prediction of software reliability}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 6th IASTED International Conference on Software Engineering and Applications, SEA 2002}, year = {2012}, note = {cited By 16}, pages = {234-240}, publisher = {Acta Press}, organization = {Acta Press}, abstract = {This paper deals with the reliability assessment of component-based software to predict the software product reliability at the early stage. The proposed approach transforms a specification written in a semi-formal language into a stochastic model to be used for reliability evaluation. The paper assumes an UML-based system specification and introduces a method to map the specification onto a failure model. The method enables software designers with no specific knowledge of reliability theory to predict at design time the reliability of the final product, thus introducing lifecycle reliability prediction into their development best practices. The method is illustrated by use of an application case study that deals with the development of distributed software. A software architecture that allows the method to be easily integrated into UML-based software development environments is also introduced. The architecture is based on the use of XML (eXtensible Markup Language) to represent both the UML system specification and the failure model.}, keywords = {Application programs, Automatic modeling, Component based software, Forecasting, Formal languages, Reliability assessments, Reliability Evaluation, Reliability prediction, Reliability theory, Semi-formal languages, Software development environment, Software engineering, Software reliability, Specifications, XML, XML (extensible markup language)}, isbn = {0889863237; 9780889863231}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84904159409\&partnerID=40\&md5=e3371411e5b757b27cda93c405253da1}, author = {Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and Iazeolla, G. and Mirandola, R.} } @conference {Gianni20122705, title = {Model-based interface specification for systems integration in systems of systems engineering}, booktitle = {22nd Annual International Symposium of the International Council on Systems Engineering, INCOSE 2012 and the 8th Biennial European Systems Engineering Conference 2012, EuSEC 2012}, volume = {4}, year = {2012}, note = {cited By 2}, pages = {2705-2717}, abstract = {The key to enable systems integration is that systems inter-communications are accurately and unambiguously specified. In line with ongoing Model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE) initiatives aiming to support systems engineering activities by means of formal and graphical models, we have introduced a logical model for the definition of Interface Communication Modelling Language (ICML), to enable a model-based approach for interface specification. ICML is based on UML and can potentially be integrated with other systems models in similar forms, e.g., SySML, and with systems of systems models in UPDM or related frameworks. We have designed ICML basing on a preliminary domain analysis on radio signal specifications, with application to space systems. In the analysis, we have specifically considered simple digital and unidirectional signals, and subsequently we have included a method to use ICML for Time-Division Multiplexed signals. We also present an excerpt of the ICML metamodel and a simple example application. {\textcopyright} 2012 by Daniele Gianni et al.}, keywords = {Engineering activities, Interface specification, Model based approach, Model-based systems engineering (MBSE), Modelling language, Multiplexed signals, Specifications, Systems engineering, Systems integration, Systems of systems}, isbn = {9781622769162}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84884132292\&partnerID=40\&md5=137b25c099fd2308a19460fd8ff866b8}, author = {Gianni, D. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and De Simone, P. and Lisi, M. and Luglio, M.} } @conference {Gianni2012, title = {A model-based Signal-In-Space interface specification to support the design of Galileo receivers}, booktitle = {6th ESA Workshop on Satellite Navigation Technologies: Multi-GNSS Navigation Technologies Galileo{\textquoteright}s Here, NAVITEC 2012 and European Workshop on GNSS Signals and Signal Processing}, year = {2012}, note = {cited By 1}, abstract = {The design and development of Galileo receivers will be a key factor to determine the market approach and penetration. The massive use of the Galileo services will be impacted, as well as the estimated economical return of the Galileo linked activities. In general, GNSS receivers use similar mathematical models for the computation of the global positioning from a standard parameter set. However, receivers design and implementation solutions are often inherently dependent on the specific parameter representations defined in the Signal-In-Space (SIS) interface specifications. In this paper, we introduce Interface Communication Modeling Language (ICML) as a model-based approach for the SIS interface specification to support the engineering of Galileo receivers. We argue that a model-based specification can potentially bring several technical benefits to the design of Galileo receivers, including support for specification communication among stakeholders, reuse and adaptation of existing GPS software and chipsets, and receiver-side multi GNSS interoperability, for example. As a result, a model-based SIS interface specification can contribute to increase the use of the Galileo services by reducing the impact of the technical factors leading to the extra costs. In the paper, we present the overall layout of the ICML language and preliminary applications. In particular, we present a simplified excerpt of a Galileo-like SIS specification and functional schema of GNSS receivers and show how the ICML-based specification can support the design of Galileo receivers. An important caveat: no endorsement is made for the use of the ICML language for the official Galileo SIS interface specification. {\textcopyright} 2012 IEEE.}, keywords = {Communication, Computer software reusability, Design, GALILEO, Global positioning system, Information theory, Interface control documents, Interface specification, Mathematical models, Model-based systems engineering, Receivers (containers), Signal processing, Signal receivers, Specifications, SysML, Technology, UML}, isbn = {9781467320115}, doi = {10.1109/NAVITEC.2012.6423066}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84874274251\&partnerID=40\&md5=c5bbcc7395ef038a87c8dcbae3e8f360}, author = {Gianni, D. and Lisi, M. and De Simone, P. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and Luglio, M.} } @conference {D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio20104, title = {A MDA-based approach for the development of DEVS/SOA simulations}, booktitle = {Simulation Series}, volume = {42}, number = {1 BOOK 4}, year = {2010}, note = {cited By 0}, pages = {4-11}, abstract = {The intrinsic complexity of the DEVS formalism and the manual production of DEVS-based simulations might constitute obstacles to the adoption of DEVS for both system modelers and simulation users. To overcome these obstacles, this paper introduces a model-driven approach for the development of DEVS simulations. The approach provides modelers and users with standard graphical modeling languages and with model transformation specifications for automated code production. Specifically, the approach enables the UML specification of DEVS models and automates the generation of DEVS simulations that make use of the DEVS/SOA implementation. An example application to the production of a DEVS/SOA simulation for a basic queuing system is also presented, to show the details of the proposed approach.}, keywords = {DEVS, Discrete event simulation, Mathematical models, MDA, Model driven development, Model transformation, Software architecture, Specifications, UML}, isbn = {9781617382048}, issn = {07359276}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84887115977\&partnerID=40\&md5=d939ce7d1f75fadfcbdeca9335ab3f30}, author = {Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and Gianni, D. and Risco-Mart{\'\i}n, J.L. and Pieroni, A.} } @conference {D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio2010, title = {A MDA-based approach for the development of DEVS/SOA simulations}, booktitle = {Spring Simulation Multiconference 2010, SpringSim{\textquoteright}10}, year = {2010}, note = {cited By 6}, abstract = {The intrinsic complexity of the DEVS formalism and the manual production of DEVS-based simulations might constitute obstacles to the adoption of DEVS for both system modelers and simulation users. To overcome these obstacles, this paper introduces a model-driven approach for the development of DEVS simulations. The approach provides modelers and users with standard graphical modeling languages and with model transformation specifications for automated code production. Specifically, the approach enables the UML specification of DEVS models and automates the generation of DEVS simulations that make use of the DEVS/SOA implementation. An example application to the production of a DEVS/SOA simulation for a basic queuing system is also presented, to show the details of the proposed approach. {\textcopyright} 2010 SCS.}, keywords = {DEVS, Discrete event simulation, MDA, Model transformation, Model-driven development, Software architecture, Specifications, UML}, isbn = {9781450300698}, doi = {10.1145/1878537.1878685}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-78650597613\&partnerID=40\&md5=d354a5334db8120b18b505cf48e0d4cd}, author = {Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and Gianni, D. and Risco-Mart{\'\i}n, J.L. and Pieroni, A.} } @article {Gianni200967, title = {Ontology-based specification of simulation sequences}, journal = {International Journal of Simulation: Systems, Science and Technology}, volume = {10}, number = {2}, year = {2009}, note = {cited By 5}, pages = {67-78}, abstract = {The specification of a simulation model includes the description of the input sequences while the simulation output can be described by the produced sequences. The input sequences describe the characteristics of the simulated scenarios and are to be chosen in a way to preserve the real system representativeness; while the output sequences can be used as a proof of such representativeness. Producing the appropriate input sequences and validating the output sequences against the model specification is therefore fundamental to the validation of the simulation model. In this paper, we propose an ontology-based specification of simulation input sequences. The ontology gives a methodology to formalize the sequence specification and output sequence validation by providing the semantic basis for the sequences formal description. In the model specification, the input sequences are described in terms of ontology concepts and properties values, and in the model implementation the deployed sequences can be thus automatically derived by mapping them on the ontology concepts. Sequence validation may be carried out by establishing the congruence between the ontology concepts and the deployed sequences.}, keywords = {Computer simulation, Formal Description, Input sequence, Model implementation, Model specification, Model specifications, Ontology, Ontology concepts, Ontology-based, Output sequences, Real systems, Semantics, Simulation model, Specifications}, issn = {14738031}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-78650605223\&partnerID=40\&md5=cbdaef9e43630d47be542c7b08e0d72f}, author = {Gianni, D. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and Iazeolla, G.} } @article {D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio2009625, title = {Simulation model building of traffic intersections}, journal = {Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory}, volume = {17}, number = {4}, year = {2009}, note = {cited By 9}, pages = {625-640}, abstract = {Designers of traffic systems might take advantage of the simulation-before-construction approach that allows them to study the behavior of a new or existing system by use of simulation models. Nevertheless, the use of simulation models is often hindered by the fact that the model building activity is a critical, time consuming and error prone activity if performed by use of experience and intuition only. Moreover, traffic designers do not usually have the necessary skills to effectively carry out system simulation. This paper overcomes such problems by introducing a model building method, thus enabling traffic designers to seamlessly introduce simulation-before-construction into their best practices. The method is applied to the building of simulation models of traffic intersections, with an example application to a real-world intersection. {\textcopyright} 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.}, keywords = {Automated model building, Best practices, Error-prone, Existing systems, Intersections, Model buildings, Model-building methods, Real-world, Simulation model production, Specifications, System simulations, Traffic control, Traffic intersection specification, Traffic simulation, Traffic systems}, issn = {1569190X}, doi = {10.1016/j.simpat.2008.11.001}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-62149138054\&partnerID=40\&md5=e6b0fba289eb046089cab4e9984ab819}, author = {Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and Iazeolla, G. and Pasini, L. and Pieroni, A.} } @conference {Gianni2008118, title = {A domain specific language for the definition of extended queueing network models}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the IASTED International Conference on Software Engineering, SE 2008}, year = {2008}, note = {cited By 7}, pages = {118-124}, abstract = {The use of design patterns and modular decomposition for the development of component-based software products brings significant improvements in terms of several quality attributes (e.g., reusability, reliability, maintainability). In addition, the modular design of interacting software components allows the foundation of a flexible Domain Specific Language (DSL) that acts as a model description language rather than a coding language, bringing significant savings in terms of development effort. This is particularly true in the field of simulation, in which the use of a common language both to represent and to simulate a given simulation model practically eliminates the need and the effort to fill the gap between the model specification and the simulator implementation. This paper introduces the design features of jEQN, a language for the specification and implementation of simulation models based on extended queueing networks. Details concerning the application of design patterns, modular decomposition and generic type parameters are also presented.}, keywords = {Coding languages, Common languages, Component-based softwares, Computer simulation, Computer simulation languages, Computer software reusability, Design, Design features, Design patterns, Domain-specific languages, DSL, EQN, Generic types, Interacting softwares, Java, Java programming language, Linguistics, Maintainability, Model description languages, Model specifications, Model-driven design, Modems, Modular decompositions, Modular designs, Quality attributes, Queueing network models, Queueing networks, Reusability, Simulation, Simulation models, Software engineering, Software reliability, Specifications, Spontaneous emission, Systems analysis, Telecommunication lines}, isbn = {9780889867154}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-58049139201\&partnerID=40\&md5=0ba8c0ea76e037065fe93e4f9456b413}, author = {Gianni, D. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio} }