PoN-S : a systematic approach for applying the Physics of Notation (PoN)

Visual Modeling Languages (VMLs) are important instruments of communication between modelers and stakeholders. Thus, it is important to provide guidelines for designing VMLs. The most widespread approach for analyzing and designing concrete syntaxes for VMLs is the so-called Physics of Notation (PoN). PoN has been successfully applied in the analysis of several VMLs. However, despite its popularity, the application of PoN principles for designing VMLs has been limited. This paper presents a systematic approach for applying PoN in the design of the concrete syntax of VMLs. We propose here a design process establishing activities to be performed, their connection to PoN principles, as well as criteria for grouping PoN principles that guide this process. Moreover, we present a case study in which a visual notation for representing Ontology Pattern Languages is designed

Towards a decision-aware declarative process modeling language for knowledge-intensive processes

Modeling loosely framed and knowledge-intensive business processes with the currently available process modeling languages is very challenging. Some lack the flexibility to model this type of processes, while others are missing one or more-perspectives needed to add the necessary level of detail to the models. In this paper we have composed a list of requirements that a modeling language should fulfil in order to adequately support the modeling of this type of processes. Based on these requirements, a metamodel for a new modeling language was developed that satisfies them all. The new language, called DeciClare, incorporates parts of several existing modeling languages, integrating them with new solutions to requirements that had not yet been met, Deciclare is a declarative modeling language at its core, and therefore, can inherently deal with the flexibility required to model loosely framed processes. The complementary resource and data perspectives add the capability to reason about, respectively, resources and data values. The latter makes it possible to encapsulate the knowledge that governs the process flow by offering support for decision modeling. The abstract syntax of DeciClare has been implemented in the form of an Ecore model. Based on this implementation, the language-domain appropriateness of the language was validated by domain experts using the arm fracture case as application scenario. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

On the symbiosis between conceptual modeling and ontology engineering : recommendation-based conceptual modeling

Within an enterprise, different conceptual models, such as process, data, and goal models, are created by various stakeholders. These models are fundamentally based on similar underlying enterprise (domain) concepts, but they have a different focus, are represented using different modeling languages, take different viewpoints, utilize different terminology, and are used to develop different enterprise artefacts (such as documents, software, databases, etc.); therefore, they typically lack consistency and alignment. Another issue is that modelers have different vocabulary selections and different modeling styles. As a result, the enterprise can find itself accumulating a pile of models which cover similar aspects in different manners. Those models are not machine-readable and cannot be processed automatically. Enterprise-Specific Ontologies (ESOs) aim to solve this problem by serving as a reference during the conceptual model creation. Using such a shared semantic repository makes conceptual models semantically aligned and facilitates model integration. However, managing those ontologies is complicated; an enterprise is an evolving entity, and as it changes, the ESO might become outdated. During the years of research dedicated to this dissertation, the Recommendation-Based Conceptual Modeling and Ontology Evolution (CMOE+) framework was developed. This framework establishes a symbiotic relationship between the Ontology engineering and the Conceptual modeling fields. CMOE+ consists of two cycles: the Ontology Evolution cycle and the Conceptual Modeling cycle. The Ontology Evolution cycle is responsible for setting up the initial version of the ESO and updating it as the knowledge within the enterprise evolves. Additionally, this cycle encapsulates recommendation services to perform ontology look-up and to present the most relevant ESO concepts in support of the modeler. The Conceptual Modeling cycle is responsible for the creation of conceptual models in different modeling languages based on the ESO. This cycle is also concerned with the quality evaluation of the created models. CMOE+ was developed based on requirements identified as a result of a literature review and a case study. The development process follows the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM). After the initial version of CMOE+ was put forward, our focus was narrowed towards the recommendation-based conceptual modeling part of CMOE+, and we continued to gradually improve the framework in iterations until it reached its current state. The Ontology Evolution Cycle is not fully addressed within the scope of this dissertation. In order to demonstrate the performance and usability of CMOE+, it was exemplified for process modeling using BPMN and goal modeling using i*. This thesis presents a detailed instantiation, and explains steps to be performed in order to instantiate CMOE+ for other modeling languages. In order to evaluate the process modeling instance of CMOE+, a CMOE+BPMN tool was implemented. This tool incorporates a BPMN modeler, facilitates storage and access of the ESO, and includes all algorithms functioning within CMOE+ for the BPMN modeling language (as some of the algorithms are language dependent). Next, CMOE+ was exemplified using the i* goal modeling language. Finally, we demonstrated the ability of CMOE+ to perform alignment between i* and BPMN models, in order to show that CMOE+ is indeed beneficial in achieving interoperability among models created in different modeling languages and covering distinct aspects of the enterprise

An Ontology-Based Process for Domain-Specific Visual Language Design

Em Modelagem Conceitual, tem ocorrido um interesse crescente em Linguagens de Modelagem Visuais Específicas de Domínio ( Domain-Specific Visual Modeling Languages (DSVMLs)) e no suporte que elas provêem para compr eensão do domínio de um problema e comunicação entre modelado res e interessados. Assim, é importante providenciar diretrizes para o design de DSVMLs. Por muitos anos, o foco de pesquisa tem sido na sintaxe abstrata, enqu anto a sintaxe concreta tem recebido menor atenção. Isso é um infortúnio, pois a sintaxe visual impacta significativamente a capacidade de comunicação e de resolução de problemas de modelos conceituais Um dos trabalhos mais disseminados para análise e d esign de aspectos visuais de linguagens de modelagem é a Física das Notações (Po N). PoN define um conjunto de princípios usado para analisar e projetar notaçõ es visuais cognitivamente eficientes. Contudo, PoN tem lacunas, tais como: (i ) Falta um método para aplicar seus princípios; (ii) O design de símbolos não cria sistematicamente símbolos que refletem entidades do mundo real. Nesta pesquisa, nós apresentamos a Física das Notações Sistematizada (PoN-S) para resolver a lacuna (i). PoN-S estabelece um con junto ordenado de atividades de design e sugere quando aplicar os princípios de PoN . Ela também propõe grupos de princípios de PoN. Outra maneira de melhorar a qualidade de DSVMLs é a aplicação de teorias ontológicas, mas ontologias podem ser aplicadas com sucesso no design de sintaxes concretas como tem sido aplicadas para a s intaxe abstrata? Guizzardi (2013) propoem diretrizes ontológicas baseadas na O ntologia de Fundamentação Unificada (UFO) para auxiliar no design de notações visuais. Contudo, tais diretrizes também tem lacunas: (iii) São diretrizes isoladas e não parte de um processo de design; (iv) O conjunto de distinções ontológicas, é restrito; (v) As diretrizes ontológicas são restritas a serem aplicadas no esta belecimento dos símbolos de uma DSVMLs. Para resolver as lacunas (ii) até (v) nós combinamo s as diretrizes ontológicas baseadas em UFO com PoN-S, originando a Física das Notações Ontologizada e Sistematizada (PoNTO-S) . PoNTO-S é um processo de design sistematizado par a sintaxes concretas de DSVMLs que conecta a sintaxe concreta com o significado do mundo-real (isto é, o significado ontológico). Este projeto é um processo de Design Science com di ferentes iterações, cada uma produzindo artefatos próprios. O problema de design é o design de sintaxes concretas de DSVMLs. Os artefatos são melhorias de duas soluções existentes: PoN e diretrizes ontológicas baseadas em UFO. PoN-S e PoNTO-S são classificados como teorias de design, visto serem p rocesso de design. Nós também investimos em estudos empíricos. Foram executados e studos exploratórios para dar suporte as indicações coletadas durante a revisão d e literatura e guiar algumas decisões. Após desenvolver versões de PoN-S e PoNTO -S nós aplicamos novos estudos empíricos que geraram evidências para concl uirmos que PoN-S e PoNTO-S são utéis, e que tais abordagens podem evoluir, dan do origem a abordagens ainda mais úteis

Uma linguagem para formalização de discursos com base em ontologias

Tese (doutorado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciência da Informação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência da Informação, 2015.Esta pesquisa propõe a arquitetura da informação de uma linguagem formal textual para representar discursos sobre entidades ontológicas e obter deduções a respeito de ontologias de domínio. Por meio do paradigma de metamodelagem, a linguagem permite tratamento de ontologias heterogêneas que podem ser descritas como instâncias de uma ou mais ontologias de fundamentação. A linguagem suporta comportamentos clássicos e modais sustentados por noções de prova baseadas no paradigma de Programação em Lógica (Modal). O arcabouço modal desenvolvido possibilita que diferentes interpretações modais sejam introduzidas às especificações das ontologias, e contempla especialmente sistemas baseados em lógicas de múltiplos agentes. Uma sistematização do fragmento endurante da Unified Foundational Ontology (UFO) é realizada com objetivo de compor parte do marco teórico que fundamenta a proposta e de servir de exemplo de instanciação do arcabouço desenvolvido. Como resultados complementares, destacam-se: uma sistematização de um conjunto ampliado de regras para produção de modelos conceituais e um glossário detalhado de termos e conceitos da UFO-A; protótipos funcionais que implementam os sistemas elaborados; traduções das teorias descritas no arcabouço proposto para linguagens visuais, como extensões da representação gráfica da OntoUML; e discussões a respeito da integração de Arquitetura da Informação, Modelagem Conceitual e Programação em Lógica (Modal) no contexto social aplicado.This research proposes the information architecture of a textual formal language to represent and reason about ontological entities based on foundational ontologies. Through metamodeling, the language is able to deal with heterogeneous ontologies that can be described as instances of one or more foundational ontology. The language provides classic and modal inference mechanisms supported by proof notions based on the (Modal) Logic Programming paradigm. The modalities introduced by the modal framework allow a wide range of interpretations, including multi-agent systems. A systematization of the endurant fragment of the Unified Foundational Ontology (UFO) is produced in order to compose part of the theoretical framework underlying the proposal, and to serve as an example instantiating the developed framework. As complementary results we highlight: a systematization of an extended set of rules for conceptual modeling and a detailed glossary of terms and concepts of UFO-A; functional prototypes implementing the developed systems; translations of the theories described as instances of the framework to diagramatic representations, as extensions of the OntoUML visual language; and discussions regarding the integration of Information Architecture, Conceptual Modeling and Logic Programming within Applied Social Science