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Gaining Insights into Conceptual Models: A Graph-Theoretic Querying Approach
- Source :
- Applied Sciences, Volume 11, Issue 2, Applied Sciences, Vol 11, Iss 765, p 765 (2021)
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2021.
-
Abstract
- Modern complex systems include products and services that comprise many interconnected pieces of integrated hardware and software, which are expected to serve humans interacting with them. As technology advances, expectations of a smooth, flawless system operation grow. Model-based systems engineering, an approach based on conceptual models, copes with this challenge. Models help construct formal system representations, visualize them, understand the design, simulate the system, and discover design flaws early on. Modeling tools can benefit tremendously from querying capabilities that enable gaining deep insights into system aspects that direct model observations do not reveal. Querying mechanisms can unveil and explain cause-and-effect phenomena, identify central components, and estimate impacts or risks associated with changes. Being connected networks of system elements, models can be effectively represented as graphs, to which queries are applied. Capitalizing on established graph-theoretic algorithms to solve a large variety of problems can elevate the modeling experience to new levels. To utilize this rich set of capabilities, one must convert the model into a graph and store it in a graph database with no significant loss of information. Applying the appropriate algorithms and translating the query response back to the original intelligible and meaningful diagrammatic and textual model representation is most valuable. We present and demonstrate a querying approach of converting Object-Process Methodology (OPM) ISO 19450 models into graphs, storing them in a Neo4J graph database, and performing queries that answer complex questions on various system aspects, providing key insights into the modeled system or phenomenon and helping to improve the system design.
- Subjects :
- Computer science
conceptual modeling
02 engineering and technology
computer.software_genre
Query language
lcsh:Technology
OPM ISO 19450
lcsh:Chemistry
0502 economics and business
0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
General Materials Science
Object-Process Methodology (OPM)
Instrumentation
lcsh:QH301-705.5
Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes
query languages
Graph database
lcsh:T
Process Chemistry and Technology
05 social sciences
General Engineering
020207 software engineering
Construct (python library)
Data science
Formal system
lcsh:QC1-999
Computer Science Applications
Variety (cybernetics)
Diagrammatic reasoning
lcsh:Biology (General)
lcsh:QD1-999
model-based system engineering (MBSE)
lcsh:TA1-2040
graph databases
Key (cryptography)
Systems design
lcsh:Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
computer
050203 business & management
lcsh:Physics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20763417
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Applied Sciences
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....1d9bd9eaf0b4188c3ceb594edd8d8f0f
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020765