The Role of Proof in a Formal Specification of the Speedway Rulebook

Whilst some undergraduate introductions to formal methods play down the role of proof, others have tended to emphasize it as the true payback of using formal methods in the first place. This paper describes how a sports application can be used to illustrate many of these paybacks in a readily understandable way. It illustrates the difficulty of arriving at a formal specification of a complex specification, which is often a collaborative effort between at least two parties, and how this affects the chosen development method. The maintenance of specifications is also considered, in the light of frequent and complex rule changes, in some cases, as a result of “case law” during mid-season.