Automated Support of the Modelling Process: A View Based on Experiments with Expert Information Engineers

摘要

A trend can be discerned clearly indicating that current developments in methodologies concentrate on an ongoing structuring and integration of modelling techniques. Automated support is the prime mover of this trend. In the article it is argued that a lack of explicit knowledge about the process of model construction has resulted in problems with CASE-tools concerning adequate support in the form of verification and navigation. The author presents important aspects of the modelling process which have been deduced from the analysis of experiments with expert information engineers. Some of the important notions are strategy, refinement, division and integration as far as the process of model construction is concerned, and the notions of natural level of consistency and finer categorization of concepts as far as the model constructs themselves are concerned. An architecture of modelling support systems and a corresponding prototype are described that are able to reflect the mentioned aspects of modelling processes.