Comfortable Modeling of Complex Reactive Systems

Modeling systems based on semi-formal graphical formalisms, such as Statecharts, has become standard practice in the design of reactive embedded devices. However, the modeling of realistic applications often results in very large and unmanageable graphics, severely compromising their readability and practical use. To overcome this, we present a methodology to support the easy development and understanding of complex Statecharts. Central to our approach is the definition of a Statechart normal form (SNF), which provides a standardized layout that is compact and makes systematic use of secondary notations to aid readability. This concept is extended to dynamic Statecharts