An axiom system for sequence-based specification

Abstract

This paper establishes an axiomatic foundation and a representation theorem for the rigorous, constructive process, called sequence-based specification, of deriving precise specifications from ordinary (informal) statements of functional requirements. The representation theorem targets a special class of Mealy state machines, and algorithms are presented for converting from the set of sequences that define the specification to the equivalent Mealy machine, and vice versa. Since its inception, sequence-based specification has been effectively used in a variety of real applications, with gains reported in quality and productivity. This paper establishes the mathematical foundation independently of the process itself.