An Ontology-based i* Goal-Oriented Referential Integrity Model in Systems of Systems Context

System of Systems (SoS) results from the integration of a set of independent Constituent Systems (CS) that could be socio or technical, in order to offer unique functionalities. SoS is largely driven by stakeholders' needs and goals taking into consideration SoS-level global goals and CS-level individual goals. It's challenging to manage the satisfaction of these goals in such complex SoS arrangements, where links between these goals may not be clearly known or specified, and competing goals establish a complex stakeholder environment. In this research the i* goal-oriented framework has been utilised in SoS context to identify, model and manage goals of the overall SoS and its constituent systems. This paper discusses a novel Goals Referential Integrity (GRI) model that is intended to maintain the integrity and consistency of both the SoS-level and the CS-level goals, in an attempt to address the current challenges of managing goals in an SoS arrangement. Furthermore, an ontology-based model has been developed to support the GRI model and semantically annotate goals' levels in SoS context, specify the relationships and linkages between the SoS organisation, its constituent systems, global and local goals, and strategic and policy documents. Together the GRI model and its associated ontology model form the Semantic Goals Referential Integrity (SGRI) applied in SoS context, where conflicts between goals at the SoS and the CS-levels can be discovered in an attempt to maintain the semantic integrity of the SoS and CS goals.