A Framework for Teaching Conceptual Modeling and Metamodeling Based on Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy of Educational Objectives

Conceptual modeling and metamodeling are vital parts in computer and information science study programs at tertiary institutions. Currently, teachers are struggling in ensuring that their teaching approach is comprehensive and in identifying application domains that motivate students, and show that the value of models exceeds pure representative means. This paper uses Bloom’s revised taxonomy of educational objectives as a foundation to define a framework for comprehensive teaching of conceptual modeling and metamodeling. The introduced framework is used to evaluate the comprehensiveness of a Smart City teaching case which has been taught at the Next-generation Enterprise: Modeling in the Digital Age Summer School. The contribution of this paper is threefold: First, a generic framework for comprehensive teaching of conceptual modeling and metamodeling is proposed; Second, a Smart City teaching case is reported; Third, the evaluation of the teaching case leads to a discussion on how to improve teaching of conceptual modeling and metamodeling in the future

Using Conceptual Modeling for Designing Multi-View Modeling Tools

Multi-view modeling methods (MVMM) can cope with the increasing complexity of today\u27s enterprise and information systems by decomposing the corresponding model into several viewpoints. The combination of the instantiated views gives the whole model of the system. Modeling tools are vital for efficient utilization of MVMMs. However, sufficient support in the conceptual design of multi-view modeling tools is not given. The paper at hand introduces the MuVieMoT modeling method, dedicated towards the conceptualization of multi-view modeling tools. The method is focused on how to capture, with conceptual modeling means, the constituents of MVMMs, in terms of viewpoints, modeling procedure and consistency mechanisms specification. The method is aimed at method engineers and tool developers, bridging the gap between tool design and tool development. Applicability of the method is illustrated by a case study, hereby defining the conceptual design of a multi-view modeling tool for an enterprise modeling method

Work System Modeling Method with Different Levels of Specificity and Rigor for Different Stakeholder Purposes

This paper proposes a modeling method (the work system modeling method - WSMM) that addresses key issues related to enterprise and process modeling. Those issues lead to modeling method requirements that call for relaxing common assumptions about the nature of modeling methods and related modeling languages and metamodels. A summary of work system theory (WST)and the work system method (WSM) provides background for understanding WSMM. A design space for modeling positions most applications of WSM in relation to seven purposes of modeling that call for successively more formal approaches. WSMM is presented in relation to the seven purposes, thereby extending WSM in new directions. A final section summarizes how WSMM addresses the issues and requirements from the introduction, explains how coherence is maintained within WSMM, and identifies areas for future research

“Systems Analysis and Design Toolkit Based on Work System Theory and Its Extensions

This article describes proposed content of an online toolkit for users of the work system modeling method (WSMM), an extension of the work system method (WSM), which was developed to help business professionals understand IT-reliant systems and collaborate with IT professionals. A summary of work system theory (WST) and WSM provides a background. A two-dimensional design space for modeling methods illustrates WSMM’s context. Two limitations of WSMM imply the need for a toolkit that overcomes those limitations. An auto rental example is used to illustrate a series of modeling, analysis, and design modules related to different stakeholder purposes. Most of the modules reflect components of Word documents used as outlines to produce over 700 management briefings, mostly by MBA and Executive MBA students, between 2003 and 2017. A concluding section summarizes the main ideas, explains how the use of different modules based on the work system metaphor flexibly supports systems analysis and design, and identifies challenges for future research

Supporting Customized Design Thinking Using a Metamodel-based Approach

Traditional design methods, based on analytical rationale, often cannot address upcoming challenges e.g., related to the digital business transformation in volatile environments. Analytical rationale assumes a particular result and provides the methods and tools for achieving it. Nowadays, however, the result of a business transformation is often not precisely known nor the ways and means to achieve it. As a result, methods and tools are required that foster creativity while allowing customization to specific requirements or stakeholder needs. This paper proposes customized design thinking processes, realized with a conceptual modelling approach. The approach supports creativity in transformative business design. It shows how numerous design thinking tools can be integrated into a single conceptual modelling approach - supported by a modelling platform. The platform facilitates efficient and flexible design of novel business solutions. The created models moreover serve as a formalized knowledge base that enables knowledge processing and reuse

DT4GITM - A Vision for a Framework for Digital Twin enabled IT Governance

This paper is concerned with the question of how novel digital technologies can be used to enable IT governance to better deal with the need for more agility, flexibility, adaptivity, and connectivity, as brought about by our modern day society. We propose to digitally transform IT governance, in particular making it smart(er) by following a data-driven approach. In line with this, we present a vision for digitally transformed IT governance in the form of the DT4GITM (Digital Twin for Governed IT Management) framework, which exploits the Digital Twin concept as it is already used in other fields to monitor, analyze, simulate, and predict the performance of real-world assets. The purpose of the DT4GITM framework is to serve as a reference architecture for a technological infrastructure based on the Digital Twin concept that connects three interrelated systems -- the IT governance processes, the governed IT management processes, and the managed organizational IT assets

A Vision for Flexibile GLSP-based Web Modeling Tools

In the past decade, the modeling community has produced many feature-rich modeling editors and tool prototypes not only for modeling standards but particularly also for many domain-specific languages. More recently, however, web-based modeling tools have started to become increasingly popular for visualizing and editing models adhering to such languages in the industry. This new generation of modeling tools is built with web technologies and offers much more flexibility when it comes to their user experience, accessibility, reuse, and deployment options. One of the technologies behind this new generation of tools is the Graphical Language Server Platform (GLSP), an open-source client-server framework hosted under the Eclipse foundation, which allows tool providers to build modern diagram editors for modeling tools that run in the browser or can be easily integrated into IDEs such as Eclipse, VS Code, or Eclipse Theia. In this paper, we describe our vision of more flexible modeling tools which is based on our experiences from developing several GLSP-based modeling tools. With that, we aim at sparking a new line of research and innovation in the modeling community for modeling tool development practices and to explore opportunities, advantages, or limitations of web-based modeling tools, as well as bridge the gap between scientific tool prototypes and industrial tools being used in practice.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

A Development Method for the Conceptual Design of Multi-View Modeling Tools with an Emphasis on Consistency Requirements

The main objective of this thesis is to bridge the gap between modeling method experts on the one side and tool developers on the other. More precisely, the focus is on the specification of requirements for multi-view modeling tools. In this regard, the thesis introduces a methodological approach that supports the specification of conceptual designs for multi-view modeling tools in a stepwise manner: the MuVieMoT approach. MuVieMoT utilizes generic multi-view modeling concepts and the model-driven engineering paradigm to establish an overarching specification of multi-view modeling tools with an emphasis on consistency requirements. The approach builds on and extends the theoretical foundation of metamodeling and multi-view modeling: generic multi-view modeling concepts, integrated multi-view modeling approaches, and possibilities for formalized modeling method specifications. Applicability and utility of MuVieMoT are evaluated using an illustrative scenario, therefore specifying a conceptual design for a multi-view modeling tool for the Semantic Object Model enterprise modeling method. The thesis moreover introduces the MuVieMoT modeling environment, enabling the efficient application of the approach as well as the model-driven development of initial multi-view modeling tools based on the conceptual models created with MuVieMoT. Consequently, the approach fosters an intersubjective and unambiguous understanding of the tool requirements between method experts and tool developers

AI-Enhanced Hybrid Decision Management

The Decision Model and Notation (DMN) modeling language allows the precise specification of business decisions and business rules. DMN is readily understandable by business users involved in decision management. However, as the models get complex, the cognitive abilities of humans threaten manual maintainability and comprehensibility. Proper design of the decision logic thus requires comprehensive automated analysis of e.g., all possible cases the decision shall cover; correlations between inputs and outputs; and the importance of inputs for deriving the output. In the paper, the authors explore the mutual benefits of combining human-driven DMN decision modeling with the computational power of Artificial Intelligence for DMN model analysis and improved comprehension. The authors propose a model-driven approach that uses DMN models to generate Machine Learning (ML) training data and show, how the trained ML models can inform human decision modelers by means of superimposing the feature importance within the original DMN models. An evaluation with multiple real DMN models from an insurance company evaluates the feasibility and the utility of the approach

A BPM Lifecycle Plug-in for Modeling Methods Agility

Business Process Management literature has proposed several BPM lifecycles on a level of abstraction that is modeling method -agnostic, i.e. they consider the modeling language and tool support an underlying invariant or technological concern. While remaining on the same abstraction layer, we highlight a method agility requirement observed in commercial BPM consulting projects - concretely, it manifests as change requests for the modeling language or tool, from one lifecycle iteration to the next, leading to situations of model value co-creation as customer demands are assimilated in the modeling method. Based on a conceptualization of such situations, a lifecycle plug-in is proposed in the form of a methodology and associated tool support, allowing for responsive evolution of the adopted modeling method with impact on several lifecycle phases. Historical examples from the evolution of a BPM product are provided to illustrate and classify the demands that motivate the existence of this lifecycle plug-in