FOOM: a diagrammatic illustration of Object-Z specifications

FOOM (Formal Object-Oriented Methodology) is an information systems acquisition/development method which assists in understanding and modelling organizational and inter-organizational systems. The method promotes highly appropriate and precise requirements specifications for both interand intra-organizational information systems. We describe, in outline, FOOM (which has been under development since 1989) then examine a semantic mapping from the formal notation Object-Z which underlines FOOM to a semi-formal object-oriented notation which is an extension of that associated with the systematic OO systems development methodology MOSES. The mapping contributes to resolving difficulties both in creating and in validating precise requirement specifications within the Information Systems domain. It also forms a basis for a prototype CASE (Computer-Aided Software Engineering) workbench to support FOOM which is currently under development.