Formal specification techniques for complex software systems

Formal specification of requirements for software enables the developer to detect and eliminate inconsistencies and ambiguities in the requirements and promotes reasoning about the behavior of the software being developed. The application of formal methods to the various stages of a software system will ensure the trustworthiness and dependability of the software. This paper discusses the need for and the application of formal methods to large and complex software systems. A case study on the specification of a robot-based assembly system is presented. VDM (Vienna Development Method) and a functional specification technique are selected to develop the specifications in the case study.<
>