# Constructive consistency checking for partial specification in Z

Boiten, Eerke Albert, Derrick, John, Bowman, Howard, Steen, Maarten (1999) Constructive consistency checking for partial specification in Z. Science of Computer Programming, 35 (1). pp. 29-75. ISSN 0167-6423. (doi:10.1016/S0167-6423(99)00006-4)

## Abstract

Partial specification is a method of specifying complex systems in which the system is described by a collection of specifications, each approaching the system from a different viewpoint. The specification notation Z is often advocated as a suitable language for this style of specification. For collections of partial specifications to be meaningful, they need to be consistent, i.e. they should not impose contradictory requirements. This paper addresses how the consistency between partial specifications in Z can be checked, by constructing unifications, i.e. least common refinements, of viewpoint specifications.

Item Type: Article 10.1016/S0167-6423(99)00006-4 This paper is a significantly extended and slightly improved version of "Consistency and refinement for partial specification in Z" which was presented at FME'96. It has been accepted for publication in Science of Computer Programming. viewpoints; refinement; Z; partial specification; consistency Q Science > QA Mathematics (inc Computing science) > QA 75 Electronic computers. Computer scienceQ Science > QA Mathematics (inc Computing science) > QA 76 Software, computer programming, Faculties > Sciences > School of Computing E. Boiten 11 Jul 2009 09:19 UTC 09 Feb 2020 04:02 UTC https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/17100 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9184-8968 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4736-1869