Domain Arguments in Safety Critical Software Development

This paper explores domain arguments-arguments about why techniques, processes, and designs possess properties as believed by their domain experts. An elicitation technique for their recovery from domain documents is presented. This is followed by demonstrated application of the technique to several domain artifacts from aviation engineering. The elicited arguments are presented and analyzed for their properties. The inherent importance of such arguments is discussed as well as their potential contribution to system assurance arguments such as the safety case.