This course will allow the student to become familiar with formal specification methods for the design of information systems. Several methods will be reviewed, with a particular focus on the NIAM method.

Course Content

Chapter 1: Introduction

• Components of IS

• IS Design

• Properties of IS

Chapter 2: Formal Specifications

• Principles

• Formal Methods

• Formal Languages based on states

• Formal Languages based on events

• Example of formal specification

Chapter 3: Formal Specification Methods in IS

• MERISE Method

• NIAM Method

• EXPRESS G Method

• Z Method

• OMT Method

• UML Method

Chapter 4: Case Study: The NIAM Method

• Concepts and Ideas

• Symbolism of constraints between two concepts

• Constraints between two ideas

• Examples

• Classification of binary relations between concepts

• Inheritance relation