*************************************************************************** C A L L F O R P A P E R S MULTIAGENT SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE (MASSA) http://www.cs.kuleuven.ac.be/~distrinet/events/massa/2006/ Special Track at Net.ObjectDays 2006 http://www.netobjectdays.org/en/index.html September 18-21, 2006, Erfurt, Germany Important Dates: Paper submission deadline : EXTENDED TO June 1, 2006 Paper notification : June 26, 2006 Camera ready paper : July 15, 2006 Conference : September 18-21, 2006 ************************************************************************** INTRODUCTION The goal of this Special Track is to explore the relationship between multiagent systems and software architecture. There is a clear connection between multiagent systems and software architecture, yet this connection is rarely explored. Multiagent systems are generally considered as an approach for engineering applications in complex domains. A multiagent system application is designed as a set of autonomous software entities (agents) that are embedded in shared structure (the environment). Agents can flexibly achieve their design objectives by acting in the environment and interacting with one another. Multiagent systems are typically ascribed quality properities such as adaptability, robustness, or scalability. Mainstream software engineering generally recognized software architecture as the primary vehicle to manage complexity and to achieve the system's required qualities. Software architecture consists of the structures of the system, which comprise software elements, the externally visible properties of those elements, and the relationships among them. Software elements provide the functionality of the system, while the required system qualities are primarily achieved through the structures of the software architecture. So there is a clear connection between multiagent systems and software architecture. Yet this connection is rarely explored. Agent-oriented methodologies typically give an individual interpretation to the various phases of the software engineering process. This isolates agent-oriented software engineering from mainstream software engineering practice, hampering the industrial acceptance of agent technology. This Special Track places the connection between multiagent systems and software architecture in the forefront. The overall goal is to explore how current practice in software architecture can be valuable for agent-oriented software engineering. TOPICS OF INTEREST Topics of interest include, but are not restricted to: - Role of software architecture in agent-oriented software engineering - Quality requirements for multiagent systems - Architectural tactics, patterns, and styles for multiagent systems - Reference models and reference architectures for multiagent systems - Architectural design of multiagent systems - Software architectures for multiagent systems - Architectural description languages for such software architectures - Documentation of software architectures for multiagent system - Evaluation of software architectures for multiagent system - Domains related to software architecture and multiagent systems, such as: - Aspect-oriented software development for multiagent systems - Middleware support for multiagent systems - Practical applications of software architecture in multiagent systems HOW TO GET A PAPER ACCEPTED FOR THE SPECIAL TRACK We welcome the submission of original research papers. We seek theoretical, experimental, methodological as well as application papers. Papers may report on completed work, descriptions of work in progress, or discussion papers. Papers outside the scope of the relationship between multiagent systems and software architecture will be rejected. Submissions will be peer reviewed by three members of the program committee. Selection criteria include: relevance, technical correctness, originality of contribution and quality of exposition. SUBMISSION The submission should be 12-15 pages in length, including figures and references. The paper must be formatted according to the Springer-Verlag LNCS style (http://www.springer.de/comp/lncs/author.html). Papers must be sent in PDF format to danny.weyns[at]cs.kuleuven.be. PUBLICATIONS All accepted papers will be published in the Net.ObjectDays Conference Proceedings. It is planned to publish selected papers of the Special Track with a renowned publishing company, such as Springer or Whitestein. Additionally, authors of high-quality papers will be invited to submit an extended version of their paper for a Special Issue of the Journal on Multiagent and Grid Systems or the International Journal of Agent-Oriented Software Engineering. IMPORTANT DATES Paper submission deadline : EXTENDED TO JUNE 1, 2006 Paper notification : June 26, 2006 Camera ready paper : July 15, 2006 Conference : September 18-21, 2006 SPECIAL TRACK CHAIR Danny Weyns, DistriNet Labs Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium http://www.cs.kuleuven.be/~danny/home.html PROGRAM COMMITTEE Hausi Muller, USA David Garlan, USA Dennis Smith, USA Marin Litoiu, Canada Renee Elio, Canada Wouter Joosen, Belgium Paolo Giorgini, Italy Jorg Muller, Germany Tom Holvoet, Belgium James Odell, USA Van Parunak, USA Liz Sonenberg, Australia Franco Zambonelli, Italy Onn Shehory, Israel Alessandro Garcia, UK *************************************************************************