Syntactic, Semantic and Pragmatic Regularization of Alpha Checklists in the Semat Essence Kernel: A Terminology Unification Approach

Semat (Software Engineering Method and Theory) is an initiative comprising an Essence kernel and language for defining a common terminology in the software engineering discipline. The Essence kernel has alphas, activity spaces, and competencies. Particularly, alphas represent the things we always work with when running a software engineering endeavor. They allow for tracking health and progress of any software engineering endeavor via alpha states and checklists. Since alpha checklists define some criteria for guiding teams to successfully achieve alpha states, they should be terminologically consistent and unambiguous. However, they seem to be inconsistent. So, alpha checklists are not guiding adequately teams in progressing the Essence kernel alphas. Such a fact represents a problem to the actionable feature of the Essence kernel. Terminological problems can be addressed by syntactically, semantically, and pragmatically regularizing alpha checklists, i.e., by unifying checklists terminology with the Essence kernel terminology. Consequently, in this paper we propose a terminology unification approach by using syntax trees, thematic roles, and the Essence kernel controlled language. By solving such problems, we allow for guiding teams in progressing the Essence kernel alphas. Also, we allow for solving problems with Essence kernel actionable feature.