Domain Example - ECO Storage Depot

Nik Boyd


Introduction

This extended example shows some of the kinds of syntactic normalizations and semantic explorations encouraged by the EDUCE process. The original narrative was obtained from the notes for the Fusion course taught by HP Training Services. Overall, the original narrative is first analyzed to form conceptual models. Then, after all the original statements have been modeled, the original concepts are augmented, especially where elements of the domain are not exposed in some usable manner. During the modeling of the original statements, each statement or group of related statements is considered separately. The analysis sections are organized as follows:

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This example has the following sections.


Original Narrative

The ECO storage depot operates in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations controlling the storage of environmentally damaging chemicals. The ECO depot is only licensed to store drums of chemicals classified as EPA hazard type 1, type 2, or type 3.

The drums are stored in special storage buildings; in the depot there are also buildings that house scientific and administrative staff. Each storage building is licensed to hold a maximum number of drums. While the EPA requires that type 1 and type 2 must not be stored in the same building, type 3 can be stored with either type 1 or type 2. If either of these regulations is violated, then the EPA will close the depot as unsafe, pending emergency action.

The management has decided to install a computerized system to manage and control the depot. It is their paramount concern that the system never allow the depot to become unsafe.

The ECO management wants to avoid litigation from their employees or the local council. They have introduced a company regulation that requires the depot manager be able to monitor the depot and to always be able to check if the depot is in a vulnerable state. The regulation states that a depot is vulnerable if any two neighboring buildings contain the maximum number of drums.

When a truck arrives at the loading bay, the clerk enters the manifest accompanying the load and checks in the drums one at a time. As each drum is checked in, it is assigned an identifier. Once all the drums have been checked in, any discrepancies between the checked load and the manifest are reported to the loading bay clerk. The system then produces a drum-to-building allocation list that says where each drum is to be stored. The loading bay clerk is notified of any drums that must be returned to the truck because of lack of space.

Drum collections are initiated by the loading bay clerk, who types in an order manifest for the number and type of drums that are required. The system identifies the drums that are to be retrieved from the storage buildings. A manifest for the order is sent to the loading bay clerk.

Since there is only one loading bay, it must be empty before a delivery or collection can begin. It is the clerk's responsibility to notify the system when the bay is empty.


EPA Regulations

"The ECO storage depot operates in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations controlling the storage of environmentally damaging chemicals."

Semantic Equivalence - environmentally damaging = hazardous
The ECO storage depot operates in accordance with the EPA regulations controlling the storage of hazardous chemicals.

Syntactic Normalization - preposition elimination
"the storage of hazardous chemicals"
The ECO storage depot operates in accordance with the EPA regulations controlling hazardous chemical storage.

Semantic Equivalence - verb nominalization
Certain EPA regulations control hazardous chemical storage - i.e., such a facility.
Thus, those EPA regulations = hazardous chemical storage regulations. Therefore,
The ECO storage depot operates in accordance with the EPA hazardous chemical storage regulations.

Semantic Equivalence - operates in accordance with = complies with
The ECO storage depot complies with the EPA hazardous chemical storage regulations.

Semantic Implications
The ECO depot is a hazardous chemical storage facility.
The EPA publishes the EPA hazardous chemical storage regulations.
The EPA regulates hazardous chemical storage facilities.

Link to conceptual models for EPA Regulations

Open Questions


Hazardous Chemical Storage

"The ECO depot is only licensed to store drums of chemicals classified as EPA hazard type 1, type 2, or type 3."

Syntactic Normalization - verb isolation
"chemicals classified as EPA hazard type 1, type 2, or type 3"
The EPA classifies hazardous chemicals as an EPA hazard type.
An EPA hazard type describes a hazardous chemical.
EPA hazard types = hazard type 1, hazard type 2, hazard type 3.
The ECO depot is licensed to store drums of (only certain types of) hazardous chemicals.

Semantic Equivalence - preposition replacement
"drums of chemicals"
Drums contain hazardous chemicals.
The ECO depot is licensed to store drums that contain (only certain types of) hazardous chemicals.

Syntactic Normalization - convert subject to singular
A drum contains a hazardous chemical.

Syntactic Normalization - convert verb to active voice
The EPA licenses the ECO depot to store drums that contain (only certain types of) hazardous chemicals.

Semantic Equivalence - generalization
The ECO depot is a hazardous chemical storage facility. Therefore,
The EPA licenses a hazardous chemical storage facility to store drums that contain hazardous chemicals.

Semantic Equivalence - verb nominalization
The EPA issues a hazardous chemical storage license to a hazardous chemical storage facility.
A hazardous chemical storage license permits a hazardous chemical storage facility to store drums that contain hazardous chemicals.

Syntactic Normalization - verb isolation
A hazardous chemical storage license permits hazardous chemical storage.
A hazardous chemical storage facility stores drums (that contain hazardous chemicals).

Link to conceptual models for Hazardous Chemical Storage

Open Questions


Depot Buildings

"The drums are stored in special storage buildings; in the depot there are also buildings that house scientific and administrative staff."

Syntactic Normalization - convert verb to active voice
Special storage buildings store drums.

Syntactic Normalization - convert subject to singular
A storage building stores (some number of) drums.

Syntactic Normalization - verb isolation
Staff buildings house scientific and administrative staff.
A hazardous chemical storage facility contains both storage buildings and staff buildings.

Syntactic Normalization - convert subject to singular
A staff building houses (some number of) staff members.

Link to conceptual models for Depot Buildings


Building Storage Licenses

"Each storage building is licensed to hold a maximum number of drums."

Syntactic Normalization - convert verb to active voice
The EPA licenses each storage building to hold a maximum number of drums.

Semantic Equivalence - verb nominalization
The EPA issues a drum storage license for each storage building.

Semantic Implications
Each storage building does drum storage.
Each drum storage license permits drum storage.
Each storage building has an drum storage license.
Each drum storage license limits (the number of) drums stored in a storage building.
Each storage building has a drum storage limit.

Link to conceptual models for Building Storage Licenses


Safety Enforcement

"While the EPA requires that type 1 and type 2 must not be stored in the same building, type 3 can be stored with either type 1 or type 2. If either of these regulations is violated, then the EPA will close the depot as unsafe, pending emergency action."

Semantic Equivalence - verb nominalization
EPA + unsafe + regulation + violated
An EPA safety regulation defines an EPA safety violation.
An EPA safety violation exists if

Semantic Implications
The EPA publishes EPA safety regulations.
An EPA safety regulation defines EPA safety compliance.
EPA safety compliance exists if

Semantic Implications
safety + emergency
A safety emergency exists if
A hazardous chemical storage facility commits a safety violation.

Semantic Implications
A safety emergency triggers emergency action.
Emergency action restores EPA safety compliance.

Syntactic Normalization - move dependent clause
The EPA will close the depot as unsafe if a regulation is violated.

Syntactic Normalization - convert verb to active voice
The EPA closes the depot as unsafe if a regulation is violated.

Semantic Equivalence - generalizations
The EPA closes a hazardous chemical storage facility if a safety emergency exists.

Link to conceptual models for Safety Enforcement


Depot Management

"The management has decided to install a computerized system to manage and control the depot. It is their paramount concern that the system never allow the depot to become unsafe."

"The ECO management wants to avoid litigation from their employees or the local council. They have introduced a company regulation that requires the depot manager be able to monitor the depot and to always be able to check if the depot is in a vulnerable state. The regulation states that a depot is vulnerable if any two neighboring buildings contain the maximum number of drums."

Semantic Equivalence - verb nominalization
a computerized system to manage and control the depot = a depot management system

Syntactic Normalization - active verb
The ECO management installs a depot management system.

Semantic Equivalence - "never allows" = prevents
The depot management system prevents depot vulnerability.

Syntactic Normalization - relative reference replacement
The ECO management wants to avoid litigation from ECO employees or the local council.

Syntactic Normalization - convert verb to active voice
The ECO management avoids litigation from potential litigants (ECO employees or the local council).

Syntactic Normalization - verb isolation
They have introduced a company regulation.
The company regulation requires that the depot manager monitor the depot.
The depot manager monitors whether the depot is in a vulnerable state.

Semantic Equivalence - adjective to noun
"vulnerable" becomes "vulnerability"
The depot manager monitors the ECO depot for depot vulnerability.
The company regulation requires the depot monitoring.

Semantic Equivalence - concept reuse
"building contains the maximum number of drums" - i.e., a full storage building
A storage building's drum storage equals the building's drum storage limit.

Semantic Equivalence - concept reuse
"two neighboring (storage) buildings"
A storage building neighbors (another) storage building.
The company regulation states that depot vulnerability exists if any two neighboring storage buildings are full.

Syntactic Normalization - relative reference replacement
The ECO management have introduced a company regulation.

Syntactic Normalization - convert verb to active voice
The ECO management introduced a company regulation.

Link to conceptual models for Depot Management


Drum Delivery

"When a truck arrives at the loading bay, the clerk enters the manifest accompanying the load and checks in the drums one at a time. As each drum is checked in, it is assigned an identifier."

Syntactic Normalization - clause separation
A truck arrives at the loading bay.
The clerk enters the manifest.
The manifest accompanies the load.
The clerk checks in each drum.

Syntactic Normalization - active verb
The depot management system assigns an identifier to each drum.

Semantic Implications
The ECO depot contains a loading bay.
A truck delivers a drum load to the loading bay.
A drum load contains drums.
A delivery manifest accompanies a drum load.
The loading bay clerk enters a delivery manifest into the depot management system.
The loading bay clerk checks each drum from a drum load.
A drum identifier identifies a drum.

Link to conceptual models for Drum Delivery


Drum Storage Allocation

"Once all the drums have been checked in, any discrepancies between the checked load and the manifest are reported to the loading bay clerk. The system then produces a drum-to-building allocation list that says where each drum is to be stored. The loading bay clerk is notified of any drums that must be returned to the truck because of lack of space."

Syntactic Normalization - separate active verbs + identify subjects
The loading bay clerk checks all the drums.
The depot management system reports any discrepancies to the loading bay clerk.
The depot management system produces a drum-to-building allocation list.
A drum-to-building allocation list says where to store each drum.
The depot management system notifies the loading bay clerk of any returned drums.

Semantic Implications
The loading bay clerk notifies the depot management system of a checked drum load.
The depot management system produces a discrepancy report for the loading bay clerk.
The depot management system produces a drum allocation report for the loading bay clerk.
A drum allocation report lists the drum storage allocations for a drum load.
A drum storage allocation identifies the storage building for each drum.
The depot management system allocates (some number of) drums to a storage building.
The depot management system produces a returned drum report for the loading bay clerk.

Link to conceptual models for Drum Storage Allocation


Drum Collection

"Drum collections are initiated by the loading bay clerk, who types in an order manifest for the number and type of drums that are required. The system identifies the drums that are to be retrieved from the storage buildings. A manifest for the order is sent to the loading bay clerk."

Syntactic Normalization - separate active verbs + identify subjects
The loading bay clerk initiates drum collections.
The loading bay clerk types an order manifest.
The system identifies the drums to be retrieved from the storage buildings.
The system sends an order manifest to the loading bay clerk.

Semantic Implications
The loading bay clerk enters a collection order into the depot management system.
A collection order lists a drum count for each hazard type.
The depot management system produces a collection manifest for the loading bay clerk.
A collection manifest lists the drum locations.
A drum location identifies the storage building for each drum.
A building identifier locates (some number of) drum identifiers.

Link to conceptual models for Drum Collection


Empty Loading Bay

"Since there is only one loading bay, it must be empty before a delivery or collection can begin. It is the clerk's responsibility to notify the system when the bay is empty."

Syntactic Normalization - separate active verbs + identify subjects
The ECO depot contains only one loading bay.
The loading bay must be empty before a delivery can begin.
The loading bay must be empty before a collection can begin.
The loading bay clerk must notify the system when the loading bay is empty.

Syntactic Normalization - requisite preconditions
A drum delivery can begin only if the loading bay is empty.
A drum collection can begin only if the loading bay is empty.

Syntactic Normalization - active verb
The loading bay clerk notifies the depot management system when the loading bay is empty.

Link to conceptual models for Empty Loading Bay


Conceptual Augmentations

There are several holes evident in the original narrative. Many of them were filled during the analysis through semantic implication. However, a few important elements of the domain are still missing. Also, several depot management system use-cases are implied. We need to make those use-cases explicit and supply the missing domain elements.


Additional Management Concepts

How does the depot manager manage the depot?
The depot management system presents the depot management operations to the depot manager.
The depot manager selects depot status report from the depot management operations.
The depot management system generates a depot status report.
A depot status report identifies any building that has an EPA safety violation.
A depot status report lists pairs of building identifiers that have a vulnerability.
A depot status report lists a building summary for each storage building.
A building summary includes:

The depot manager selects building maintenance from the depot management operations.

The specifics of building maintenance have been intentionally left as an exercise for the reader. What are the essential usage cases for the following?

Link to conceptual models for Additional Management Concepts


Additional Storage Building Concepts

Where is each building located?
A depot map locates the depot buildings.
The depot map identifies which buildings neighbor each other.

How is the building information maintained?
For each storage building, the depot manager enters the building information into the depot management system.
The building information includes:

Link to conceptual models for Additional Storage Building Concepts


Additional Delivery Concepts

What is the nature of a delivery manifest?
A delivery manifest lists the drum count for an EPA hazard type.

How does the loading bay clerk initiate a delivery?
The depot management system presents the loading bay operations to the loading bay clerk.
The loading bay clerk selects drum delivery from the loading bay operations.
The loading bay clerk enters a drum count and EPA hazard type into the depot management system.

How is a drum identified?
The loading bay clerk requests a drum identifier from the depot management system.
The depot management system prints a drum identification label if it can allocate storage space for another drum.
The loading bay clerk attaches a drum identification label to a drum.

What happens if the depot runs out of space for the delivered hazard type?
The depot management system notifies the loading bay clerk that it cannot allocate storage space for another drum.
Any remaining drums must be returned to the truck.

Link to conceptual models for Additional Delivery Concepts


Additional Allocation Concepts

What is a discrepancy?
A discrepancy exists when the drum count for a checked drum load does not match the delivery manifest drum count.
A discrepancy report lists the drum load EPA hazard type, the checked drum count, the delivery manifest drum count and difference between them.

What is a returned drum report?
A returned drum report lists the drum load EPA hazard type and the returned drum count.

Link to conceptual models for Additional Allocation Concepts


Additional Collection Concepts

How does the loading bay clerk initiate a collection?
The depot management system presents the loading bay operations to the loading bay clerk.
The loading bay clerk selects drum collection from the loading bay operations.
The loading bay clerk enters a drum count and EPA hazard type into the depot management system.

How is a collection ended?
The loading bay clerk notifies the depot management system of a collected drum load.
The depot management system removes the collected drums from the drum inventory.

Link to conceptual models for Additional Collection Concepts


Drum Handling Concepts

Who unloads the drums from a truck in the loading bay?
A drum handler transfers the delivered drums from a truck into the loading bay.

What happens to the returned drums?
A drum handler returns drums from the loading bay onto a truck.

How are the drums collected?
The loading bay clerk gives the collection manifest to a drum handler.
A drum handler collects the drums from the storage buildings into the loading bay.
A drum handler transfers the collected drums from the loading bay onto the truck.
A truck collects a drum load from the loading bay.

Link to conceptual models for Drum Handling Concepts


Subject Inventory

The inventory lists the subjects identified by the analysis. The subjects are listed with their associated predicates in alphabetical order.

Company regulation

Delivery manifest

Depot building

Depot building maintenance

Depot manager

Depot management system

Depot map

Depot monitor

Depot status report

Depot vulnerability

Discrepancy report

Drum

Drum allocation report

Drum contents

Drum handler

Drum identifier

Drum identification label

Drum inventory

Drum load

Drum storage

Drum storage license = hazardous chemical storage license

ECO depot

ECO management

Emergency action

Empty loading bay

EPA

EPA hazardous chemical storage regulations

EPA hazard type

EPA safety regulation

Hazard type = EPA hazard type

Hazardous chemical storage facility

Hazardous chemical storage license

Loading bay

Loading bay clerk

Returned drum report

Safety emergency

Staff building

Staff member

Storage building

descriptive information includes:

Truck

Vulnerability = depot vulnerability