Design Environment #

The design environment is a major building block that is concerned with business-oriented modelling and the semantic alignment.

BPaaS Design Repository #

The repository stores concept and semantic models as a result of the design phase. As concept models are realised on top of a meta model kernel, this repository needs to store and interpret meta models, hence although it is typically implemented as a relational database, there is the corresponding meta model kernel necessary to interpret those data and conclude with the concept or semantic model. Typical data repository features are required, such as data consistency or access rights.

Meta Model Kernel #

A meta model is a conceptual model of a model, hence an abstraction of modelling languages that makes the implementation and adaptation of modelling tools more flexible and quicker. The meta model kernel interprets the concept model that is stored in the repository and can reconstruct a conceptual model out of the repository, where the concept model is not stored as a concept model, but as a heterogeneous set of instances of the meta model. Typical features are model manipulation (creation, editing, …), model query (searching, analysis), model transformation (export, publication,…) and model simulation (calculated, stochastic, …) .

Semantic Modelling Kernel #

Semantic models are a special case of conceptual models but due to their wide distribution and tool support, it is worth to use existing tools and feature by mapping conceptual model into semantic models in order to apply such semantic features. The semantic modelling kernel is hence a set of features that allow the mapping from concept to semantic models (semantic lifting), the invocation of semantic features of a semantic (third party) tool (add-on implementaiton), and the import back of the results into the conceptual model (mapping, redundance handling,…).

Model Editor #

A model editor enables the graphical representation of concept model by providing features to graphically design a model by a given pre-defined modelling language.

Modelling Tool #

In addition to the Model Editor that entirely focuses on the graphical representation, the modelling tool enables to interpret the models and apply model-specific functionality – the so-called model processing. Hence  the meaning of the used iconic symbols is understood by the modelling tools and features such as queries, property dependent behaviour, translation and transformation, analysis, simulation etc. are possible.

Hybrid Modelling Tool #

Hybrid modelling is a technique where different modelling languages are merged to one large modelling language (via meta model merging patterns). Tools that support also the merged larger modelling language are seen as Hybrid Model Designers. In case the modelling tool also interprets the hybrid model and enables processing (visualisation, query, transformation, simulation) across the merged modelling languages, it is seen as a Hybrid Modelling Tool.

Web Modeller #

Key element of a modelling tool is the model visualisation component, therefore the graphical user interaction is the key functional capability of a modelling tool. Those graphical user interactions have a specific characteristic hence the transfer of this characteristic user interaction in the Web is considered as Web-Modeller.