Feature Interaction Filtering with Use Case
Maps at Requirements Stage

Masahide Nakamura, Tohru Kikuno
Department of Informatics and Mathematical Sciences, Osaka University, JAPAN
fmasa-n,kikunog@ics.es.osaka-u.ac.jp

Jameleddine Hassine, Luigi Logrippo
School of Information Technology and Engineering, University of Ottawa, CANADA
fjhassine, luigig@site.uottawa.ca

Abstract

This paper proposes a new Feature Interaction (FI) Filtering
method at the requirements level. FI Filtering is to screen out some
irrelevant feature combinations before the FI detection process, by using
simple indications that certain combinations are likely to cause FI.

To achieve this, we extensively utilize a requirement notation method,
called Use Case Maps (UCMs), which helps designers to visualize a
global picture of call scenarios. Individual features are added to the
basic call by using the stub plug-in concept of UCMs. That is, a set
of UCMs describing the feature's functionality are plugged into certain
parts (called stubs) of the basic call scenario in a \root" UCM. Thus,
each feature is characterized by the stub configuration. Then, we pro-
pose a composition method of dierent stub configurations in terms of
a matrix, called a stub configuration matrix. Finally we present an FI
Filtering method for a given combination, which gives a verdict: (a) FI
occurs, (b) FI never occurs or (c) FI-prone.

Experimental evaluation using examples taken from the recent FI
detection contest shows that almost half of the feature combinations
can be filtered without costly feature analysis. This suggests that the
number of feature combinations to be analyzed with more expensive FI
detection methods can be reduced to half, by using the proposed method
as a front end of the detection process.