USM: Unified System Model

This effort proposes the application of a Unified System Model (USM) as a common representation form which multiple views of system models can be projected. the USM will serve as an integrated mechanism for a requirements engineering environment and consist of multiple CASE tools that provide four specific benefits to requirement writers. First, a requirements writer would not be bound to only a handful of techniques supported by any single tool. Second, specifications form previous systems could not be reused; the use if a particular modeling language would not be an obstacle for its reuse in a new specification. the ability to move form one techniques to another would be especially valuable when reengineering an existing system. Third, a single project could use a variety of techniques and maintain consistency across the different notations. Fourth, a project that decides to change its modeling language would be able to salvage those specification already completed. in summary, the USM is a mechanism to acheive internally consistent, multiple viewpoints of requirements. USM represents a true advance in computer-aided engineering that provides immediate benefits to requirements engineering practitioners and establishes a vehicle for advanced research in requirements engineering methods.