Assurance Case Pattern using SACM Notation

Abstract

The Structured Assurance Case Metamodel (SACM) is a metamodel and specification that can be used to represent structured assurance cases. An assurance case is an approach for analysing, documenting, and communicating a clear structured argument and evidence about a particular system within a specific environment and circumstances. SACM provides abstract syntax with a set of features to develop assurance cases, including supporting the development of an assurance case pattern. A pattern in the assurance case development context is useful, for example, as an approach for abstracting the details of the argument, and when possible, it can be used for the development of other arguments by instantiating the pattern in a specific domain application. To support the development and adoption of SACM, we have developed SACM Notation (SACMN) as a concrete syntax that consists of visual vocabularies and compositional rules (as visual grammar). The developed notation has been included as part of the SACM standard 2.1 update version. In this paper, we introduce and discuss the application of the assurance case pattern using SACMN to support the SACM adoption in the development of assurance cases.