ARENA: Asserting the Quality of Modeling Languages

120 Pages·2015·3.5 MB·English

ARENA: Asserting the Quality of Modeling Languages
Francisco de Freitas Vilar Morais
Thesis to obtain the Master of Science Degree in
Information Systems and Computer Engineering
Supervisor: Prof. Alberto Manuel Rodrigues da Silva
Examination Committee
Chairperson: Prof. José Luís Brinquete Borbinha
Supervisor: Prof. Alberto Manuel Rodrigues da Silva
Member of the committee: Prof. André Ferreira Ferrão Couto e Vasconcelos
July 2015
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EmmemóriadaminhaavóMariaAméliadeFreitasVilarerestantesfamiliares,
pelaforça,exemploeamorincondicionalquesempremederam.
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Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my advisor, Prof. Alberto Silva, that supported and counselled me in ev-
ery possible way. Without his knowledge on User-Interface and Business Process Modeling
Languages, academic experience, commitment and perseverance, I couldn’t have structured,
focusedanddevelopedthiswork.
I must also thank my co-advisor, Mr. Andreas Schoknecht, for all the academic materials, drive
andmotivationthathehasgivenmethroughoutthisworkwhileIwasinGermanyontheERAS-
MUSprogramme,aswellasProf. JanDietz,whichcontributioninICEIS2015enlightenedmeto
understandDEMOanditscompetinglanguages.
ThisworkwaspartiallysupportedbytheARENA2012IBMCountryProject,andbynationalfunds
through Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) with references UID/CEC/50021/2013
andEXCL/EEI-ESS/0257/2012(DataStorm).
I would also like to thank to my parents Maria José and António Manuel and my friends, for
supportingme,givingmethestrengthtocarryonandtoremindmethathardworkpaysoff. Also,
I want to give a word of gratefulness to my brother Stephan, for his language skills contribution
andprofessionalbackgroundbeinganexampletomeandtomydearcolleagueCatarinaMoreira
forhergreatavailabilityandhightechnicalskills.
Thanks so much to everyone that, in one way or another, have shown interest or contribute to
thisthesis. Mayyouallshineinyourways.
July2015
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Abstract
N
owadays,weassistatagrowingnumberofmobileanddesktopapplications. Someofthem
are developed using programming languages, the traditional way, while some have been
developed using other approaches, such as Model-Driven (Software) Development — MD(S)D.
It considers models as first class elements in the context of software development. Since there
aresomanymodelinglanguages,thereisaneedtocomparethemandchoosethebestforeach
concrete situation. The selection of the most appropriate modeling language may influence the
output’squality,whetheritisonlyasetofmodelsorsoftware.
This Thesis has the main purpose of creating and debating a framework to evaluate the quality
and effectiveness of developed Domain-Specific Modeling Languages, taking into account their
domains and the influence they have when models are created. It should also be useful for
General-PurposeModelingLanguages.
Keywords: Appropriateness, Business Process Modeling Languages, Comparison, Domain-
Specific Languages, Evaluation, Frameworks, Model-Driven (Software) Development, Modelling
Languages,Quality,User-InterfaceModelingLanguages.
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Resumo
H
ojeem dia, assistimos a um número crescente de aplicações móveis e fixas. Algumas
são desenvolvidas usando linguagens de programação, o método tradicional, ao passo
que outras têm sido desenvolvidas usando outras abordagens, tais como o Desenvolvimento
(de Software) Orientado ao Modelo. Esta considera os modelos como elementos de primeira
classe no contexto do desenvolvimento de software. Uma vez que existem várias linguagens
de modelação, surge a necessidade de compará-las e escolher a melhor para cada situação
concreta. A escolha da linguagem de modelação mais adequada pode influenciar a qualidade
doresultadofinal,sejaesteapenasumconjuntodemodelosousoftware.
Esta Tese tem como objectivo principal a criação e o debate de uma framework para avaliar
a qualidade e a eficácia das Linguagens de Modelação de Domínio Específico desenvolvidas,
tendoemcontaosseusdomínioseainfluênciaquetêmquandoosmodelossãocriados. Tam-
bémdeveráserútilparaLinguagensdeModelaçãodePropósitoGeral.
Palavras-Chave: Adequação, Avaliação, Comparação, Desenvolvimento (de Software) Ori-
entadoaoModelo,Frameworks,LinguagensdeDomínioEspecífico,LinguagensdeModelação,
LinguagensdeModelaçãodeInterfacesdeUtilizador, LinguagensdeModelaçãodeProcessos
deNegócio,Qualidade.
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