10 research outputs found
On computing the importance of entity types in large conceptual schemas
The visualization and the understanding of large conceptual schemas require the use of specific methods. These methods generate
clustered, summarized or focused schemas that are easier to visualize and to understand. All of these methods require computing the importance of each entity type in the schema. In principle, the totality of knowledge defined in the schema could be relevant for the computation of that
importance but, up to now, only a small part of that knowledge has been taken into account. In this paper, we extend six existing methods for computing the importance of entity types by taking into account all the relevant knowledge defined in the structural and behavioural parts
of the schema. We experimentally evaluate the original and the extended versions of those methods with two large real-world schemas. We present the two main conclusions we have drawn from the experiments.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version
Extending the methods for computing the importance of entity types in large conceptual schemas
Visualizing and understanding large conceptual schemas requires the use of
specific methods. These methods generate clustered, summarized, or focused schemas
that are easier to visualize and understand. All of these methods require computing
the importance of each entity type in the schema. In principle, the totality of knowledge
defined in the schema could be relevant for the computation of that importance
but, up to now, only a small part of that knowledge has been taken into account. In
this paper, we extend seven existing methods for computing the importance of entity
types by taking into account more relevant knowledge defined in the structural and behavioural
parts of the schema. We experimentally evaluate the original and extended
versions of these methods with three large real-world schemas. We present the two
main conclusions we have drawn from the experiments.Postprint (published version
Design and Implementation of a Conceptual Modeling Assistant (CMA)
This Master's Thesis de nes an architecture for a Conceptual Modeling
Assistant (CMA) along with an implementation of a running prototype.
Our CMA is a piece of software that runs on top of current
modeling tools whose purpose is to collaborate with the conceptual
modelers while developing a conceptual schema. The main functions
of our CMA are to actively criticize the state of a conceptual schema,
to suggest actions to do in order to improve the conceptual schema,
and to o er new operations to automatize building a schema.
On the one hand, the presented architecture assumes that the
CMA has to be adapted to a modeling tool. Thus, the CMA permits
the inclusion of new features, such as the detection of new defects to
be criticized and new operations a modeler can execute, in a modeling
tool. As a result, all modeling tools to which the CMA is adapted
bene t of all these features without further work.
On the other hand, the construction of our prototype involves
three steps: the de nition of a simple, custom modeling tool; the
implementation of the CMA; and the adaptation of the CMA to the
custom modeling tool. Furthermore, we also present and implement
some examples of new features that can be added to the CMA
Computing the Importance of Schema Elements Taking Into Account the Whole SCHEMA
Conceptual Schemas are one of the most important
artifacts in the development cycle of information systems.
To understand the conceptual schema is essential
to get involved in the information system that is described
within it. As the information system increases
its size and complexity, the relative conceptual schema
will grow in the same proportion making di cult to understand
the main concepts of that schema/information
system.
The thesis comprises the investigation of the in
uence of
the whole schema in computing the relevance of schema
elements. It will include research and implementation
of algorithms for scoring elements in the literature, an
study of the di erent results obtained once applied to a
few example conceptual schemas, an extension of those
algorithms including new components in the computation
process like derivation rules, constraints and the
behavioural subschema speci cation, and an in-depth
comparison among the initial algorithms and the extended
ones studying the results in order to choose those
algorithms that give the most valuable output
On computing the importance of entity types in large conceptual schemas
The visualization and the understanding of large conceptual schemas require the use of specific methods. These methods generate
clustered, summarized or focused schemas that are easier to visualize and to understand. All of these methods require computing the importance of each entity type in the schema. In principle, the totality of knowledge defined in the schema could be relevant for the computation of that
importance but, up to now, only a small part of that knowledge has been taken into account. In this paper, we extend six existing methods for computing the importance of entity types by taking into account all the relevant knowledge defined in the structural and behavioural parts
of the schema. We experimentally evaluate the original and the extended versions of those methods with two large real-world schemas. We present the two main conclusions we have drawn from the experiments.Peer Reviewe
A filtering engine for large conceptual schemas
Postprint (published version
On computing the importance of entity types in large conceptual schemas
The visualization and the understanding of large conceptual schemas require the use of specific methods. These methods generateclustered, summarized or focused schemas that are easier to visualize and to understand. All of these methods require computing the importance of each entity type in the schema. In principle, the totality of knowledge defined in the schema could be relevant for the computation of thatimportance but, up to now, only a small part of that knowledge has been taken into account. In this paper, we extend six existing methods for computing the importance of entity types by taking into account all the relevant knowledge defined in the structural and behavioural partsof the schema. We experimentally evaluate the original and the extended versions of those methods with two large real-world schemas. We present the two main conclusions we have drawn from the experiments.Peer Reviewe
Design and Implementation of a Conceptual Modeling Assistant (CMA)
This Master's Thesis de nes an architecture for a Conceptual Modeling
Assistant (CMA) along with an implementation of a running prototype.
Our CMA is a piece of software that runs on top of current
modeling tools whose purpose is to collaborate with the conceptual
modelers while developing a conceptual schema. The main functions
of our CMA are to actively criticize the state of a conceptual schema,
to suggest actions to do in order to improve the conceptual schema,
and to o er new operations to automatize building a schema.
On the one hand, the presented architecture assumes that the
CMA has to be adapted to a modeling tool. Thus, the CMA permits
the inclusion of new features, such as the detection of new defects to
be criticized and new operations a modeler can execute, in a modeling
tool. As a result, all modeling tools to which the CMA is adapted
bene t of all these features without further work.
On the other hand, the construction of our prototype involves
three steps: the de nition of a simple, custom modeling tool; the
implementation of the CMA; and the adaptation of the CMA to the
custom modeling tool. Furthermore, we also present and implement
some examples of new features that can be added to the CMA
Computing the Importance of Schema Elements Taking Into Account the Whole SCHEMA
Conceptual Schemas are one of the most important
artifacts in the development cycle of information systems.
To understand the conceptual schema is essential
to get involved in the information system that is described
within it. As the information system increases
its size and complexity, the relative conceptual schema
will grow in the same proportion making di cult to understand
the main concepts of that schema/information
system.
The thesis comprises the investigation of the in
uence of
the whole schema in computing the relevance of schema
elements. It will include research and implementation
of algorithms for scoring elements in the literature, an
study of the di erent results obtained once applied to a
few example conceptual schemas, an extension of those
algorithms including new components in the computation
process like derivation rules, constraints and the
behavioural subschema speci cation, and an in-depth
comparison among the initial algorithms and the extended
ones studying the results in order to choose those
algorithms that give the most valuable output