%0 Thesis %1 Kaltz2006Eng %A Kaltz, Joachim Wolfgang %D 2006 %K context engineering method modelisation %T An Engineering Method for Adaptive, Context-aware Web Applications %X Users of Web-based software encounter growing complexity of the software resulting from the increasingamount of information and service offering. As a consequence, the likelihood that usersemploy the software in a manner compatible with the provider's interest decreases. Depending onthe purpose of the Web application, a provider's goal can be to guide and influence user choices ininformation and service selection, or to assure user productivity. An approach at addressing thesegoals is to adapt the software's behavior during operation to the context in which it is being used. Theterm context-awareness originates in mobile computing, where research projects have studied contextrecognition and adaptation in specific scenarios. Context-awareness is now being studied in a varietyof systems, including Web applications. However, how to account for context in a Web Engineeringprocess is not yet established, nor is a generic means of using context in a Web software architecture.This dissertation addresses the question of how context-awareness can be applied in a generalpurpose,systematic process for Web application development: that is, in a Web Engineering process.A model for representing an application's context factors in ontologies is presented. A generalpurposemethodology for Web Engineering is extended to account for context, by putting in relationcontext ontologies with elements of the application domain. The application model is extended withadaptation specifications, defining at which places in the application adaptation to context is to occur,and according to what strategy.Application and context models are system interpretable, in order to support automatic adaptationof a system's behavior during its operation, that is, consequently to user requests. Requirements fora corresponding Web software architecture for context are established first at the conceptual level,then specifically in a content-based architecture based on an XML stack. The CATWALK softwareframework, an implementation of an architecture enabling adaptation to context is described. Theframework provides mechanisms for interpreting application and context models to generate an adaptiveapplication, meaning to generate responses to user requests, where the generation process makesdecisions based on context information. For this purpose, the framework contains default implementationsfor context recognition and adaptation mechanisms.The approach presented supports a model-based development of Web applications which adaptto context. The CATWALK framework is an implementation for model interpretation in a run-timesystem and thus simplifies the development ofWeb applications which adapt to context. As the frameworkis component-based and follows a strict separation of concerns, the default mechanisms can beextended or replaced, allowing to reduce the amount of custom code required to implement specifccontext-aware Web applications or to study alternative context inference or adaptation strategies. Theuse of the framework is illustrated in a case study, in which models are defined for a prototypicalapplication, and this application is generated by the framework. The purpose of the case study is toillustrate effects of adaptation to context, based on context description and adaptation specifcationsin the application model.

@phdthesis{Kaltz2006Eng, abstract = {Users of Web-based software encounter growing complexity of the software resulting from the increasingamount of information and service offering. As a consequence, the likelihood that usersemploy the software in a manner compatible with the provider's interest decreases. Depending onthe purpose of the Web application, a provider's goal can be to guide and influence user choices ininformation and service selection, or to assure user productivity. An approach at addressing thesegoals is to adapt the software's behavior during operation to the context in which it is being used. Theterm context-awareness originates in mobile computing, where research projects have studied contextrecognition and adaptation in specific scenarios. Context-awareness is now being studied in a varietyof systems, including Web applications. However, how to account for context in a Web Engineeringprocess is not yet established, nor is a generic means of using context in a Web software architecture.This dissertation addresses the question of how context-awareness can be applied in a generalpurpose,systematic process for Web application development: that is, in a Web Engineering process.A model for representing an application's context factors in ontologies is presented. A generalpurposemethodology for Web Engineering is extended to account for context, by putting in relationcontext ontologies with elements of the application domain. The application model is extended withadaptation specifications, defining at which places in the application adaptation to context is to occur,and according to what strategy.Application and context models are system interpretable, in order to support automatic adaptationof a system's behavior during its operation, that is, consequently to user requests. Requirements fora corresponding Web software architecture for context are established first at the conceptual level,then specifically in a content-based architecture based on an XML stack. The CATWALK softwareframework, an implementation of an architecture enabling adaptation to context is described. Theframework provides mechanisms for interpreting application and context models to generate an adaptiveapplication, meaning to generate responses to user requests, where the generation process makesdecisions based on context information. For this purpose, the framework contains default implementationsfor context recognition and adaptation mechanisms.The approach presented supports a model-based development of Web applications which adaptto context. The CATWALK framework is an implementation for model interpretation in a run-timesystem and thus simplifies the development ofWeb applications which adapt to context. As the frameworkis component-based and follows a strict separation of concerns, the default mechanisms can beextended or replaced, allowing to reduce the amount of custom code required to implement specifccontext-aware Web applications or to study alternative context inference or adaptation strategies. Theuse of the framework is illustrated in a case study, in which models are defined for a prototypicalapplication, and this application is generated by the framework. The purpose of the case study is toillustrate effects of adaptation to context, based on context description and adaptation specifcationsin the application model.}, added-at = {2010-10-05T15:12:45.000+0200}, author = {Kaltz, Joachim Wolfgang}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/25b7bad041dd15c4e478a0f6a4339c12a/mediadigits}, file = {:diss-kaltz.pdf:PDF}, groups = {public}, interhash = {472d03472c1e282e03bc0a9e21872caf}, intrahash = {5b7bad041dd15c4e478a0f6a4339c12a}, keywords = {context engineering method modelisation}, school = {Universit\"at Duisburg-Essen}, timestamp = {2011-03-13T18:56:07.000+0100}, title = {An Engineering Method for Adaptive, Context-aware Web Applications}, username = {mediadigits}, year = 2006 }