Modelling Realistic User Behaviour in Information Systems Simulations as Fuzzing Aspects

Wallis, T. and Storer, T. (2018) Modelling Realistic User Behaviour in Information Systems Simulations as Fuzzing Aspects. In: CAiSE’18 Forum, Tallinn, Estonia, 11-15 June 2018, pp. 254-268. ISBN 9783319929002 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-92901-9)

Abstract

In this paper we contend that the engineering of information systems is hampered by a paucity of tools to tractably model, simulate and predict the impact of realistic user behaviours on the emergent properties of the wider socio-technical system, evidenced by the plethora of case studies of system failure in the literature. We address this gap by presenting a novel approach that models ideal user behaviour as workflows, and introduces irregularities in that behaviour as aspects which fuzz the model. We demonstrate the success of this approach through a case study of software development workflows, showing that the introduction of realistic user behaviour to idealised workflows better simulates outcomes reported in the empirical software engineering literature.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Wallis, Mr Tom and Storer, Dr Tim
• Authors: Wallis, T., and Storer, T.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Computing Science
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 1865-1348
• ISBN: 9783319929002
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2018 Springer Nature
• First Published: First published in Information Systems in the Big Data Era CAiSE Forum 2018, Tallinn, Estonia, June 11-15, 2018, Proceedings, 254-268
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher