Agent Methodologies and Processes -- From Object-Oriented to Agent-Oriented Software Engineering Methodologies -- MASUP: An Agent-Oriented Modeling Process for Information Systems -- Composition of a New Process to Meet Agile Needs Using Method Engineering -- A Generative Approach for Multi-agent System Development -- Requirements Engineering and Software Architectures -- A Social-Driven Design of e-Business System -- Systematic Integration Between Requirements and Architecture -- Integrating Free-Flow Architectures with Role Models Based on Statecharts -- Aspectizing Multi-agent Systems: From Architecture to Implementation -- Modeling Languages -- CAMLE: A Caste-Centric Agent-Oriented Modelling Language and Environment -- A Formal Approach for the Modelling and Verification of Multiagent Plans Based on Model Checking and Petri Nets -- Specification of Role-Based Interactions Components in Multi-agent Systems -- The ANote Modeling Language for Agent-Oriented Specification -- Dependability and Coordination -- A Software Framework for Automated Negotiation -- Efficient Agent Communication in Multi-agent Systems -- Adaptive Access Control in Coordination-Based Mobile Agent Systems -- Separation of Concerns for Mechatronic Multi-agent Systems Through Dynamic Communities.

This book presents a coherent and well-balanced survey of recent advances in software engineering approaches to the design and analysis of realistic large-scale multi-agent systems (MAS). The chapters included are devoted to various techniques and methods used to cope with the complexity of real-world MAS. The power of agent-based software engineering is illustrated using examples that are representative of successful applications. The 16 thoroughly reviewed and revised full papers are organized in topical sections on agent methodologies and processes, requirements engineering and software architectures, modeling languages, and dependability and coordination. Most of the papers were initially presented at the 3rd International Workshop on Software Engineering for Large-Scale Multi-agent Systems, SELMAS 2004, held in Edinburgh, UK in May 2004 in association with ICSE 2004. Other papers were invited to complete coverage of all relevant aspects.