Specification-based testing of user interfaces

Abstract

It is proposed an approach to integrate formal methods in the software development process, with an emphasis on the user interface development. The approach covers the specification by means of formal models, early model animation and validation, construction and conformity testing of the user interface implementation with respect to the specification. These conformity tests are described in detail through a state transition model with an abstraction function mapping concrete (implementation) to abstract (specification) states and operations. In order to illustrate the approach, it is presented a simple login/password dialog specification in VDM++, using a reusable control specification library, with a straightforward translation to Java or C#.