Abstract
In this paper we propose a conceptual-based approach to meta-modelling as a technique in which modelling knowledge can be expressed. Our approach claims to be sufficiently flexible and to homogenize the construction of meta-models, independently of the field of application. Besides, the components of meta-models have been thought up for improving the properties of adaptability, understandability and usability. A meta-model is defined as a perspective, a system of concepts and a so-called conceptual support. A conceptual support is, in essence, an IS-A hierarchy of concepts whose purpose it is to establish the specification elements that can be used to construct models. In order to illustrate the different notions that appear in the paper we present two examples of meta-models (statecharts and data flow diagrams) taken from two different application fields.
This work has been partially supported by the projects CICYT TAP95-0574 and UZ 287-06.
Chapter PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
References
P. Bergsten, J. Bubenko, R. Dahl, M. R. Gustafson, L. A. Johansson, Ramatic-a CASE shell for Implementation of Specific CASE tools, SISU, Stockholm, 1989, first draft of a contribution to section 4.4 of the TEMPORA project.
A. Borgida, Knowledge Representation, Semantic Modeling: Similarities and Differences, E-R Approach '91, Elsevier Publ., 1991.
A. Borgida, J. Mylopoulos, H. K. T. Wong, Generalization/Specialization as the Basis for Software Specification, in M. Brodie, J. Mylopoulos, J. Schmidt (Eds.) On Conceptual Modeling: Perspectives from Artificial Intelligence, Databases and Programming Languages, Springer-Verlag, 1984.
R. J. Brachman, What IS-A is and isn't: an analysis of taxonomic links in semantic networks, Computer, v. 16, n. 10, October 1983, 30–36.
M. Green, A survey of three dialogue models, ACM Transaction on Graphics, 5, 3, 1986, 244–275.
D. Harel, Statecharts: A visual formalism for complex systems, Science of Computer Programming, vol 8, North-Holland, 1987, 231–274.
D. Harel, A. Pnueli, J. P. Schmidt, R. Sherman, On the Formal Semantics of Statecharts, Proceedings of the 2nd IEEE Symposium on Logic in Computer Science, Ithaca, N. Y., June, 22–24, IEEE Press, New York, 1987, 54–64.
A. H. M. ter Hofstede, T. F. Verhoef, E. R. Nieuwland, G. M. Wijers, Integrated Specification of Method and Graphic Knowledge, Proceedings Fourth International Conference on Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering, IEEE Comput. Soc. Press, 1992, 307–316.
A. H. M. ter Hofstede, Th. P. van der Weide, Expressiveness in conceptual data modelling, Data and Knowledge Engineering, 10, 1, February 1993, 65–100.
H. Kangassalo, Foundations of conceptual modelling: a theory construction view, in H. Kangassalo, S. Ohsuga, H. Jaakkola (Eds.), Information Modelling and Knowledge bases: concepts, methods and systems, IOS Press, 1990.
S. Kelly, K. Lyytinen, M. Rossi, MetaEdit+: A fully configurable multi-user and multi-tool CASE and CAME environment, in P. Constantopoulos, J. Mylopoulos, Y. Vassiliou (Eds.), Advanced Information Systems Engineering, Proceedings of the 8th International Conference CAISE'96, Lecture Notes in Computer Science 1080, Springer, 1996, 1–21.
S. Kelly, K. Smolander, Evolution and issues in metaCASE, Information and Software Technology, 38, 1996, 261–266.
J. A. Larson, Interactive software: tools for building interactive user interfaces, Prentice-Hall, 1992.
J. Mylopoulos, A. Borgida, M. Jarke, M. Koubarakis, Telos: Representing Knowledge About Information Systems, ACM Transactions on Information Systems, 8, 4, October 1990, 325–362.
C. Nicolle, D. Benslimane, K. Yetongnon, Multi-Data models translations in interoperable Information Systems, in J. Mylopoulos, Y. Vassiliou (Eds.), Advanced Information Systems Engineering, Proceedings of the 8th International Conference CAISE'96, Lecture Notes in Computer Science 1080, Springer, 1996, 1–21.
J. Nielsen, Usability Engineering, AP Professional, 1993.
K. Smolander, OPRR-A Model for Modelling Systems Development Methods, in K. Lyytinen, V. P. Tahvanaimen (Eds.), Next Generation CASE tools, IOS Press, 1992.
J. F. Sowa, Conceptual structures, Information Processing in Mind and Machine, Addison-Wesley, 1984.
D. Teichroew, P. Macasovic, E. Hershey, Y. Yamamoto, Application of the Entity-relationship approach to information processing systems modeling, in Chen (Ed.), Entity-relationship Approach to Systems Analysis and Design, North-Holland, 1980, 15–38.
T. F. Verhoef, A. H. M. ter Hofstede, Feasibility of flexible Information Modelling Support, in J. Iivari, K. Lyytinen (Eds.), Advanced Information Systems Engineering, Proceedings of the 7th International Conference CAISE'95, Lecture Notes in Computer Science 932, Springer, 1995, 168–185.
A. I. Wasserman, P. A. Pircher, D. T. Shewmake, M. L. Kersten, Developing Interactive Information Systems with the User Software Engineering Methodology, IEEE Transaction on Software Engineering, 12, 2, 1986, 326–345.
G. M. Wijers, A. H. M. ter Hofstede, N. E. van Oosterom, Representation of Information Modelling Knowledge, in K. Lyytinen, V. P. Tahvanaimen (Eds.), Next Generation CASE tools, IOS Press, 1992.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1997 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Domínguez, E., Zapata, M.A., Rubio, J. (1997). A conceptual approach to meta-modelling. In: Olivé, A., Pastor, J.A. (eds) Advanced Information Systems Engineering. CAiSE 1997. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1250. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-63107-0_23
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-63107-0_23
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-63107-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-69148-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive