An analytic evaluation of the SaCS pattern language for conceptualisation of safety critical systems

In this paper, we present the Safe Control Systems
(SaCS) pattern language for the development of conceptual
safety designs and conduct an analytical evaluation of the
appropriateness of the language for its intended task. By a
conceptual safety design we mean an early stage specification
of system requirements, system design, and safety case for a
safety critical system. The SaCS pattern language can express
basic patterns on different aspects of relevance for conceptual
safety designs. SaCS can also be used to combine basic patterns
into composite patterns. A composite pattern can be instantiated
into a conceptual safety design. A framework for evaluating
modelling languages is used to conduct the evaluation. The
quality of a language is within the framework expressed by
six appropriateness factors. A set of requirements is associated
with each appropriateness factor. The extent to which these
requirements are fulfilled are used to judge the quality.We discuss
the fulfilment of the requirements formulated for the language on
the basis of the theoretical, technical, and practical considerations