Formal methods in practice

Technology transfer from academic research to industrial practice is hampered by social, political, and economic problems more than by technical issues. This paper describes one instance of successful technology transfer based on a special-purpose language and an associated translation tool tailored to the customerʹs needs. The key lesson to be learned from this example is that mathematical formalisms must be transparent to the user. Formalisms can be effectively employed if they are represented by tools that fit into existing work processes. It is suggested that special-purpose, domain-specific languages and their translators are an important vehicle to transition advanced technology to practice. This approach enables domain experts to solve problems using familiar terminology. It enables engineers of all disciplines to utilize computers without becoming software engineers. In doing so, we not only mitigate the chronic shortage of qualified software personnel but also simplify the problem of requirements analysis and specification.