UTP @ Fraunhofer FOKUS

The UML Testing Profile

The UML2 specification aims to support a model-driven software development process. Even though it is widely adopted in the software industry, UML2 is lacking native testing concepts, like test components, test verdicts, timers, etc. These concepts are relevant for systematic test activities required for the development of high-quality systems. Therefore, a consortium of the OMG specified a test-specific profile for UML2, called UML Testing Profile (UTP). UTP facilitates model-driven testing approaches and bridges the gap between system and test development by relying on the same modeling notation. More details about the UTP can be found in the subsequent sections, especially in the sections Documents and Presentations.

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UML Testing Profile 1.1 Revision

Since 2005, the UML Testing Profile is OMG's specification to support model-based testing. Today, the UTP is implemented by several open source and commercial solutions as well as being referenced in several research papers and industries (IBM, Microsoft etc.).

However, beside its success several issues have been encountered while using it. Technical and formal issues also along the revisions of UML are to be resolved. Five years after the first finalization, it was the right moment to push UTP a great step further in order to gain more acceptance and attention in the testing community.

Under the chairmanship of Fraunhofer FOKUS a revision process at the OMG's technical meeting was requested in June 2010. As major topics for the revision process the following topics have been proposed:

- Alignment of UTP with the current UML version (2.3)
- Elimination of technical issues
- Identification of cumbersome or inconsistent concepts
- Review of the specification document itself

All important, administrative information regarding the revision can be found at the OMG work in progress section (member access). Relevant issues can be submitted by mail.

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Members of Revision Task Force

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Supporters of Revision Task Force

Further supporters are very welcome. Supporters are asked to review the status of the UML Testing Profile and to provide comments.

Information for supporters can be obtained by the following email-address: utp-info [at] fokus [dot] fraunhofer [dot] de to request general information.

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UML Testing Profile 1.0 Specifications

In the past, the Unified Modeling Language (UML) notation has focused primarily on the definition of system structure and behavior to facilitate the object-oriented analysis/design phases. With the approach towards system engineering according to model-driven architectures with automated code generation, the need for solid conformance testing, certification and branding is increased. However, UML provides limited means for describing test procedures within UML and lacks dedicated test concepts natively.

The OMG RFP on a UML Testing Profile (UTP) solicited proposals for the following:

• A UML testing profile based upon the UML metamodel or a MOF based meta-model for UML testing,
• That enables the specification of tests for structural (static) and behavioral (dynamic) aspects of computational UML models, and
• That is capable of inter-operation with existing test technologies for black box testing.

This RFP was issued in July 2001. The UTP Consortium was formed in November 2001 in order to develop a joint submission to this RFP (for OMG members only).

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Consortium

The Consortium is constituted by leading companies and research institutes in testing methods and technologies and in UML:

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Supporters

The work of the UTP consortium is supported by the following companies.

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Presentations

The UML Testing Profile was presented at the panel on "UML and Testing - A Perfect Fit ?!" at the Fifth International Conference on the Unified Modeling Language - the Language and its applications, UML2002, Sept. 30 - Oct. 4, 2002, Dresden, Germany.

The UML Testing Profile was presented at the panel on "The UML Testing Profile - Its Roots and Perspectives" at IBM, Watson Research Center, Nov 13, 2002, New York, U.S.A.

The UML Testing Profile was presented at the ASQF Workshop on UML 2.0, Apr 8, 2003 at FOKUS, Berlin.

The UML Testing Profile will be presented in a tutorial at the Eleventh SDL FORUM "System Design" Stuttgart , 1st-4th July 2003.

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Documents

The following pdf-documents are available to the public:

• The UML Testing Profile Version 1.0 (May 2007) of the UTP Consortium.
• The talk at CONQUEST 2004, Nürnberg, Germany (September 2004) on the UTP final submission.
• The final adopted submission (August 2003) of the UTP Consortium
• The talk at TestCom 2003, Sophia Antipolis, France (May 2003) on the UTP and its Relation to TTCN-3.
• The final submission (March 2003) of the UTP Consortium.
• The second revised initial submission (December 2002) of the UTP Consortium.
• The talk at OMG ADTF, Burlingame (January 2003) on the initial submission by Ina Schieferdecker.
• The revised initial submission (April 2002) of the UTP Consortium
• The talk at OMG ADTF, Orlando (June 2002) on the initial submission.
• The initial submission (April 2002) of the UTP Consortium
• The Request For Proposal (RFP, July 2001) on the UML Testing Profile
• The intial (December 2000) and second (April 2001) initiating talk at OMG ADTF by Ina Schieferdecker to get the UML Testing Profile RFP approved.

Further internal documents are stored on a BSCW Server.

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Contact

For more information, please visit the official OMG website of the UML Testing Profile

The following mailing lists are available for requesting information and reporting issues:

• utp-info [at] fokus [dot] fraunhofer [dot] de to request general information
• utp-issues [at] fokus [dot] fraunhofer [dot] de to report issues

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