%0 Journal Article %A Wing, Jeannette Marie %D 2001 %T What is a formal method %U https://kilthub.cmu.edu/articles/journal_contribution/What_is_a_formal_method/6612866 %R 10.1184/R1/6612866.v1 %2 https://kilthub.cmu.edu/ndownloader/files/12105527 %K Computer science Methodology. %X Abstract: "A formal method is a mathematically-based technique used in Computer Science to describe properties of hardware and/or software systems. It provides a framework within which large, complex systems may be specified, developed, and verified in a systematic rather than ad hoc manner. A method is formal if it has a sound mathematical basis, typically given by a formal specification language. A formal method is only a method, rather than an isolated mathematical entity in itself, because of a number of pragmatic considerations: who uses it, what it is used for, when it is used, and how it is used. This paper elaborates on what makes up for a formal method and compares six different well-known formal methods, three used to specify abstract data types and three used to specify properties of concurrent and distributed systems." %I Carnegie Mellon University