Model-Centric Engineering with the Evolution and Validation Environment

Abstract

Reuse is an important aspect of software engineering that promises advantages like faster time-to-market, cost reduction, better maintainability etc. The software industry focuses on components as commercials off-the-shelf in order to gain reusable assets. However, reuse on the design level usually is not addressed. If we come to perceive models as assets of the software process, then the design moves from the periphery of software engineering to the center. This implies several advantages, like an improved system’s overview and insight, because of greater abstraction and easier comprehension of the design concepts.

Current modeling tools primarily provide a confined work-place for the definition of models including proprietary services like code generation. This paper proposes separation of services and modeling tools to enable independent reuse of services. Thereby the efficiency of the modeling process increases as services become globally shared assets. Also the models, which are expressed in an open available format – independent of a particular modeling tool – facilitate exchange and reuse. As a result, a user community grows and the quality of model artifacts improves because of frequent use, correction and peer review.

This paper describes how these ideas are reflected in the design and functionality of the Evolution and Validation Environment EVE. EVE provides an interoperability platform for model exchange. It consists solely of components which adhere to open specifications, such as XMI, UML, and OCL. EVE is designed as a loosely coupled system, which allows users to execute and combine services locally or over the Internet in arbitrary ways.