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Software-centric organisations design a loosely coupled organisation structure around strategic objectives, replicating this design to their business processes and information systems. Nowadays, dealing with business strategy in a model-driven development context is a challenge since key concepts such as the organisation's structure and strategic ends and means have been mostly addressed at the enterprise architecture level for the strategic alignment of the whole organisation, and have not been included into MDD methods as a requirements source. To overcome this issue, researchers have designed the LiteStrat, a business strategy modelling method compliant with MDD for developing information systems. This article presents an empirical comparison of LiteStrat and with i*, one of the most used models for strategic alignment in an MDD context. The article contributes with a literature review on the experimental comparison of modelling languages, the design of a study for measuring and comparing the semantic quality of modelling languages, and empirical evidence of the LiteStrat and i* differences. The evaluation consists of a 2 × 2 factorial experiment recruiting 28 undergraduate subjects. Significant differences favouring LiteStrat were found for models' accuracy and completeness, while no differences in modeller's efficiency and satisfaction were detected. These results yield evidence of the suitability of LiteStrat for business strategy modelling in a model-driven context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expertise is an activity carried out by experts that contributes to societal progress, as it helps to elucidate unknown situations. For example, accident expertise eases accident understanding by describing how it happened and by identifying its causes and consequences. As a result, the design of accident expertise in a convenient human–machine structure will enable the querying, reasoning, and reuse of accident knowledge in other tools, such as safety and decision-making systems. However, existing representations of accident knowledge, such as documents, relational databases, or accident ontologies, do not fulfill accident expertise expectations. Moreover, these representations are unlikely to provide the appropriate use of accident expertise knowledge. This study presents a base ontology for accident expertise knowledge representation designed with a model-driven methodology and implemented with semantic web technologies. The study obtained satisfactory results from the evaluation and application of extension and reuse of this ontology with aircraft accident expertise taken from the French bureau of Enquiries and Analysis (BEA) for civil aviation safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The web application development industry is constantly growing due to the extensive use of web applications in different devices, most of them run on Android, iOS, and Windows Phone operating systems. However, the development of applications designed for platforms requires more concerns such as code efficiency, interaction with devices, and speed of market penetration. The model-driven approach (MDA) combined with unified modeling language (UML) could provide abstraction and automation for software developers. This paper presents an MDA approach for the development of web applications based on the Symfony framework, UML modeling, model transformation, and then automatic code generation in order to facilitate and accelerate the development of web applications. The first step of this work is to establish the metamodel of Symfony framework and the metamodel of UML class diagram. In the second step, the various transformation rules between the source and target metamodels are first defined. Atlas transformation language (ATL) implements these rules. The result of this transformation is a platform-specific model (PSM) represented by Ecore language. The generated PSM model represents the input model of model-to-code (M2C) transformation for generating the code of web applications. To validate this work, we have implemented a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the massive growth of the software sector as well as the erratic needs of end users, agent-based information systems and Model Driven Architecture (MDA) approach are among the liveliest and significant fields of experimentation and improvement to emerge in the recent decade. In this vein, we suggest in this research an innovative method that automates the construction and the generation processes of the interaction multi-agent models from the business requirements engineering models at the MDA highest abstraction levels. So, our defiance is to align the Agent Modeling Language (AML) Communicative Interaction diagram with the E3value model dealing with the MDA approach. The ATLAS-Transformation Language (ATL) is applied to automate the model alignment process. The goal is to reduce project effort, time, and development costs as all alignment process is automatically done, boosting the chances of being more competitive in the software business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization has increased the need for society to master new languages. This need has encouraged the launch of many applications dedicated to language learning. This paper presents a graphical notation for a domain specific language to represent language learning activities. It describes how this notation enables developers to represent language learning activity characteristics using workflow, presentation, content, media and activity model conforming a metamodel that defines the abstract syntax of the domain specific language. This notation is implemented as part of an integrated development environment to build model-based applications. Finally, this proposal is evaluated with a framework that uses the cognitive dimensions of notations for notational systems. The proposed graphic diagram editor exceeds the experience that the user has with the reflexive model editor. In relation to the creation and editing of workflow models and presentation/activity models, the proposed graphical notation its more intuitive and easy to maintain visually than the traditional reflexive tree notation used by many model-based development frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microservice architecture consists of a collection of loosely coupled, self-contained services that can be deployed independently. Given the limited capacity of the resources for a large number of services, the deployment of the services does not scale well and leads to operational complexity and runtime overhead. This paper proposes a model-driven approach for the automated deployment of microservices to minimize the execution cost and communication costs among the microservices. The identification of the feasible deployment is defined at the architecture design level based on the provided capacity of the resources and the collection of microservices. The corresponding tool support using Eclipse Modeling Environment is described, and a case study on book shopping is used to illustrate the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud enterprise resource planning (Cloud ERP) is an internet- and cloud computing-based enterprise information system developed on the cloud platform. Cloud ERP has lower costs and shorter development time compared with traditional ERP system, but it remains in a state of information isolated island. To maximize the advantages of cloud computing and make up the deficiency of traditional ERP systems, it is necessary to break down the "wall" between enterprises, making cloud ERP enter a more open and interconnected ecological environment. The model-driven development approach contributes to a better resilient scheduling capability of ERP system, leading to faster development and deployment of it. In this article, the authors propose a "knowledge + data" model-driven open ecological cloud ERP and explain the definition and functions of each model layer. Finally, the effectiveness of model layers is demonstrated in the open ecological cloud ERP reference architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language-learning applications define exercises that are pedagogical tools to introduce new language concepts. The development of this type of applications is complex due to the diversity of language-learning methodologies, the variety of execution environments and the number of different technologies that can be used. This article proposes a complete Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) approach, from the definition of the Computational Independent Model (CIM layer) to the Implementation Specific Model (ISM layer), and the process of the necessary transformations for the automatic generation of the source code (in HTML and JavaScript) of language-learning applications. To carry out the model-to-model and model-to-text transformations, the ATLAS Transformation Language (ATL) and Acceleo transformation languages have been used respectively. The proposal has been validated through the modeling and the complete automatic generation of source code of two Learning Activity Mechanisms (LAM), which are used within methodologies such as Duolingo and Busuu: LAM Image-Audio-Text and LAM Audio-Text Options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective crisis response requires up-to-date information. The crisis cell must reach for new, external, data sources. However, new data lead to new issues: their volume, veracity, variety or velocity cannot be managed by humans only, especially under high stress and time pressure. This paper proposes (i) a framework to enhance situation awareness while managing the 5Vs of Big Data, (ii) general principles to be followed and (iii) a new architecture implementing the proposed framework. The latter merges event-driven and model-driven architectures. It has been tested on a realistic flood scenario set up by official French services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Models transformation has become in the last decade, the primary key in the Model Driven Architecture (MDA) approach. Most of these models' transformation are made between one or many abstraction levels (higher level, average level, or lower level). For that, the Object Management Group (OMG) offers for the MDA approach three abstraction levels, which are "Computation Independent Model" (CIM: the higher abstraction level), "Platform Independent Model" (PIM: average abstraction level) and "Platform Specific Model" (PSM: lower abstraction level). Hitherto, most researchers focused on the transformation between average abstraction level and lower abstraction level because those levels have multiple common points. However, the transformation between higher abstraction level and average abstraction level is rarely discussed because they are two distinct levels that can contain higher abstraction model nature, such as Requirements models and Business Process models. Therefore, our contribution in this paper is to study different transformations approaches between Requirements and Business Process models in the higher and average MDA abstraction levels. To do so, we study the selected approaches, analyze the results descriptively, then discuss them, plus propose new taxonomies based on the deduced evaluation criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) is a framework for software development processes that allows an automatic transformation from a business process model to the code model. In MDA there are two transformation kinds: Transformation from the Computation independent model (CIM) to platform-independent model (PIM), and transformation from PIM to platform-specific model (PSM). In this paper, we based on CIM to PIM transformation. This transformation is done by developing a platform that generates a class diagram, presented in XMI file, from specifications that are presented in user stories, which are written in natural language (English). We used a natural language processing (NLP) tool named "Stanford CoreNLP" for extracting of the object-oriented design elements. Applying our approach to several case studies has given good results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In big data analytics, advanced analytic techniques operate on big datasets aimed at complementing the role of traditional OLAP for decision making. To enable companies to take benefit of these techniques despite the lack of in-house technical skills, the H2020 TOREADOR Project adopts a model-driven architecture for streamlining analysis processes, from data preparation to their visualization. In this article, we propose a new approach named SkyViz focused on the visualization area, in particular on (1) how to specify the user's objectives and describe the dataset to be visualized, (2) how to translate this specification into a platform-independent visualization type, and (3) how to concretely implement this visualization type on the target execution platform. To support step (1), we define a visualization context based on seven prioritizable coordinates for assessing the user's objectives and conceptually describing the data to be visualized. To automate step (2), we propose a skyline-based technique that translates a visualization context into a set of most suitable visualization types. Finally, to automate step (3), we propose a skyline-based technique that, with reference to a specific platform, finds the best bindings between the columns of the dataset and the graphical coordinates used by the visualization type chosen by the user. SkyViz can be transparently extended to include more visualization types on one hand, more visualization coordinates on the other. The article is completed by an evaluation of SkyViz based on a case study excerpted from the pilot applications of the TOREADOR Project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the conceptual design and development of an enterprise modeling and integration framework using knowledge discovery and data mining. First, the paper briefly presents the background and current state-of-the-art of knowledge discovery in databases and data mining systems and projects. Next, enterprise knowledge engineering is dealt with. The paper suggests a novel approach of utilizing existing enterprise reference architectures, integration and modeling frameworks by the introduction of new enterprise views such as mining and knowledge views. An extension and a generic exploration of the information view that already exists within some enterprise models are also proposed. The Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture is also outlined versus the existing architectures and the proposed enterprise framework. The main contribution of this paper is the identification and definition of a common knowledge enterprise model which represents an original combination between the previous projects on enterprise architectures and the Object Management Group (OMG) models and standards. The identified common knowledge enterprise model has therefore been designed using the OMG's Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) and Common Warehouse MetaModel (CWM), and it also follows the RM-ODP (ISO/OSI). It has been partially implemented in Java™, Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) and Corba/IDL. Finally, the advantages and limitations of the proposed enterprise model are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microservice architecture consists of a collection of loosely coupled, self-contained services that can be deployed independently. Given the limited capacity of the resources for a large number of services, the deployment of the services does not scale well and leads to operational complexity and runtime overhead. This paper proposes a model-driven approach for the automated deployment of microservices to minimize the execution cost and communication costs among the microservices. The identification of the feasible deployment is defined at the architecture design level based on the provided capacity of the resources and the collection of microservices. The corresponding tool support using Eclipse Modeling Environment is described, and a case study on book shopping is used to illustrate the approach.

Previous studies have reported conflicting opinions on the feasibility of model-driven architecture (MDA). Studies have investigated the mechanics of MDA, but few have examined its effectiveness and efficiency from a developer's perception. This study conducted empirical research in which a system was implemented by subjects using MDA; afterward, evaluated its perceived efficiency and effectiveness. In the model construction phase, Unified Modeling Language and Object Constraint Language were perceived as effective and efficient. In the model transformation phase, the query/view/transformation standard was perceived as marginally efficient rather than effective, and the round-trip engineering phase was not perceived as effective or efficient. These findings are explained using 12 themes identified in subjects' opinions. This study may help scholars understand the importance of efficiency and effectiveness on MDA techniques and facilitate the development of more acceptable and practical MDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decade, the model transformation has been considered as one of the Model Driven Architecture (MDA) approachs key. For this purpose, the Object Management Group proposes for this approach three abstraction levels, which are Computation Independent Model (CIM), Platform Independent Model (PIM) and Platform Specific Model (PSM). Therefore, most researches avoid the transformation in relationship with the CIM level because there is no defined standard and contains higher abstraction model nature, such as Business Value Models (BVM). However, the CIM level is considered as an essential level, because each change in the CIM level influences all the other abstraction levels such as PIM and PSM. So, our contribution and challenge in this work are to study, analyze and discuss different methods that deal with the Business Value models transformation in CIM, which were made over the last decade and respect the MDA approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]