School of Computing and Technology

Research

Software Architecture Methods Research Group

The Software Architecture Methods Research group is exploring the following computer science and applied computing challenges:

• The development of model based software methods that support business process driven service oriented architectures.
• The design of software applications for mobile devices.
• The application of conceptual modelling approaches to new domains.

We see the application of research as an important validation and evaluation mechanism thus a thread that runs through strategy is the application of our research outcomes to two areas within the Higher Education application domain - administrative functions and the pedagogical requirements for e-Learning.

Current funded projects

We been involved as lead or partner in five separate JISC funded projects and received funds in excess of £350K. In particular:

COVARM
P-SPEX
MPLAT
COVa
REMORA

The impact our research has made

Results from COVARM were seen as a significant result by the UK's Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and led to impact on the JISC e-Learning strategy by further funding calls by JISC to explore the issues first identified in the COVARM project.

The process modelling aspects were also seen as a critical enhancement to the e-Framework (an international development of service oriented technologies to support higher education).

We have asked to provide advisory services to the e-Framework and to JISC programme managers responsible for the national e-Learning Capital Programme.

The conjunction of software architecture methods with e-learning systems at a variety of levels from conceptual to practical architectures for mobile computing has enabled the group to develop a niche specialist area which has the potential to have an impact on policy and practice for mobile e-learning.