PASSIM: a simulation-based process for the development of multi-agent systems

This paper presents the Process for Agent Specification, Simulation and Implementation (PASSIM), a simulation-based development process for Multi-agent Systems (MASs), which was obtained by integrating the well-known and established Process for Agent Societies Specification and Implementation (PASSI) methodology and a Statecharts-based simulation methodology supporting functional and nonfunctional validation of the MAS being developed. PASSIM can be effectively used as an experimental tool in the context of Agent-Oriented Software Engineering (AOSE) for evaluating the benefits of using simulation for MAS development. To exemplify this process and demonstrate its effectiveness, a case study concerning the analysis, design and simulation of a complex MAS implementing an agent-based e-marketplace is defined and detailed.