Guest Editor's Introduction: Model-Driven Engineering

Model-driven engineering technologies offer a promising approach to address the inability of third-generation languages to alleviate the complexity of platforms and express domain concepts effectively.     

Model-Driven Engineering and Safety-Critical Embedded Software

Implementations embodied in a formally defined language with unambiguous semantics and a sound surrounding correctness for preserving refinement methodology make safety-critical software even safer.     

Quality evaluation for Model-Driven Web Engineering methodologies

ContextThere are lots of approaches or methodologies in the Model-Driven Web Engineering (MDWE) context to develop Web Applications without reaching a consensus on the use of standards and scarcity of both, practical experience and tool support.ObjectiveModel-Driven Web Engineering (MDWE) methodologies are constantly evolving. Moreover, Quality is a very important factor to identify within a methodology as it defines processes, techniques and artifacts to develop Web Applications. For this reason, when analyzing a methodology, it is not only necessary to evaluate quality, but also to find out how to improve it. The main goal of this paper is to develop a set of Quality Characteristics and Sub-Characteristics for MDWE approaches based on ISO/IEC standards.MethodFrom the software products context, some widely standards proposed, such as ISO/IEC 9126 or ISO/IEC 25000, suggest a Quality Model for software products, although up to now, there are no standard methods to assess quality on MDWE methodologies. Such methodologies can be organized into Properties, thus, a methodology has artifacts, processes and techniques. Then, each item is evaluated through a set of appropriate Quality Characteristics, depending on its nature. This paper proposes to evaluate a methodology as a product itself.ResultsThis paper recommends a set of Quality Characteristics and Sub-Characteristics based on these standards in order to evaluate MDWE methodologies quality. Additionally, it defines an agile way to relate these Quality Sub-Characteristics to Properties with the sole purpose of not only analyzing, but also assessing and improving MDWE methodologies.ConclusionsThe application of these Quality Characteristics and Sub-Characteristics could promote efficiency in methodologies since this kind of assessment enhances both the understanding of strengths and weaknesses of approaches.     

Mockup-Driven Development: Providing agile support for Model-Driven Web Engineering

ContextAgile software development approaches are currently becoming the industry standard for Web Application development. On the other hand, Model-Driven Web Engineering (MDWE) methodologies are known to improve productivity when building this kind of applications. However, current MDWE methodologies tend to ignore important aspects of Web Applications development supported by agile processes, such as constant customer feedback or early design of user interfaces.ObjectiveIn this paper we analyze the difficulties of supporting agile features in MDWE methodologies. Then, we propose an approach that eases the incorporation of well-known agile practices to MDWE.MethodWe propose using User Interface prototypes (usually known as mockups) as a way to start the modeling process in the context of a mixed agile-MDWE process. To assist this process, we defined a lightweight metamodel that allows modeling features over mockups, interacting with end-users and generating MDWE models. Then, we conducted a statistical evaluation of both approaches (traditional vs. mockup-based modeling).ResultsFirst we comment on how agile features can be added to MDWE processes using mockups. Then, we show by means of a quantitative study that the proposed approach is faster, less error-prone and still as complete as traditional MDWE processes.ConclusionThe use of mockups to guide the MDWE process helps in the reduction of the development cycle as well as in the incorporation of agile practices in the model-driven workflow. Complete MDWE models can be built and generated by using lightweight modeling over User Interface mockups, and this process suggests being more efficient, in terms of errors and effort, than traditional modeling in MDWE.     

Model-Driven Development

The model-driven architecture (MDA) paradigm is well-known and widely used in the field of model-based software development. However, there are still some issues that are problematic and that need to be dealt with carefully. In this paper we present a metaphor that explains how MDA grows in complexity as problems faced become more difficult or “wicked”, and how a method designed to be powerful, flexible and MDA-compliant can eventually become, in effect, a “jigsaw puzzle”. This jigsaw puzzle is not merely the result of having a collection of methodological “pieces” with routes across them, but also arises as a result of the criteria underlying the MDA abstraction layers. We compare MDA to other research fields such as human-computer interaction, model management and method engineering, and we use as an example the OO-Method, a software development method based on MDA-compliant model transformations. We focus on a methodological piece that is conceived to allow the specification of interaction requirements by means of interface sketches. These sketches are supported by a task model that serves as a sound basis for formalisation and allows the application of model transformation in order to obtain subsequent models. A case study illustrates the requirements capture method together with the software development process defined by the OO-Method. The whole process presented in the case study represents one of the possible routes that can be followed when developing a software system with the OO-Method.     

Towards Model-Driven Testing

The OMG's Model-Driven Architecture is a strategy towards interoperability across heterogeneous middleware platforms through the reuse of platform independent designs based on the distinction of, and transformation between, platform-independent and platform-specific models.A corresponding strategy for model-driven testing requires a similar structure to facilitate, besides the generation of test cases and oracles, the execution of tests on different target platforms.In this paper, we discuss different aspects of such a strategy in a specific instance: the development of web-based distributed applications. In particular, we will be concerned with the problem of reusing platform-independent test cases and test oracles and with the generation of oracles from executable models.     

API2MoL: Automating the building of bridges between APIs and Model-Driven Engineering

Context

A software artefact typically makes its functionality available through a specialized Application Programming Interface (API) describing the set of services offered to client applications. In fact, building any software system usually involves managing a plethora of APIs, which complicates the development process. In Model-Driven Engineering (MDE), where models are the key elements of any software engineering activity, this API management should take place at the model level. Therefore, tools that facilitate the integration of APIs and MDE are clearly needed.

Objective

Our goal is to automate the implementation of API-MDE bridges for supporting both the creation of models from API objects and the generation of such API objects from models. In this sense, this paper presents the API2MoL approach, which provides a declarative rule-based language to easily write mapping definitions to link API specifications and the metamodel that represents them. These definitions are then executed to convert API objects into model elements or vice versa. The approach also allows both the metamodel and the mapping to be automatically obtained from the API specification (bootstrap process).

Method

After implementing the API2MoL engine, its correctness was validated using several APIs. Since APIs are normally large, we then developed a tool to implement the bootstrap process, which was also validated.

Results

We provide a toolkit (language and bootstrap tool) for the creation of bridges between APIs and MDE. The current implementation focuses on Java APIs, although its adaptation to other statically typed object-oriented languages is straightforward. The correctness, expressiveness and completeness of the approach have been validated with the Swing, SWT and JTwitter APIs.

Conclusion

API2MoL frees developers from having to manually implement the tasks of obtaining models from API objects and generating such objects from models. This helps to manage API models in MDE-based solutions.     

Model-Driven Engineering as a new landscape for traceability management: A systematic literature review

ContextModel-Driven Engineering provides a new landscape for dealing with traceability in software development.ObjectiveOur goal is to analyze the current state of the art in traceability management in the context of Model-Driven Engineering.MethodWe use the systematic literature review based on the guidelines proposed by Kitchenham. We propose five research questions and six quality assessments.ResultsOf the 157 relevant studies identified, 29 have been considered primary studies. These studies have resulted in 17 proposals.ConclusionThe evaluation shows that the most addressed operations are storage, CRUD and visualization, while the most immature operations are exchange and analysis traceability information.     

Embedding requirements within Model-Driven Architecture

Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) brings benefits to software development, among them the potential for connecting software models with the business domain. This paper focuses on the upstream or Computation-Independent Model (CIM) phase of MDA. Our contention is that, whilst there are many models and notations available within the CIM phase, those that are currently popular and supported by the Object Management Group (OMG) may not be the most useful notations for business analysts nor sufficient to fully support software requirements and specification. Therefore, with specific emphasis on the value of the Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN) for business analysts, this paper provides an example of a typical CIM approach before describing an approach that incorporates specific requirements techniques. A framework extension to MDA is then introduced, which embeds requirements and specification within the CIM, thus further enhancing the utility of MDA by providing a more complete method for business analysis.     

模型驱动体系结构研究综述

模型驱动体系结构(MDA)是由 OMG 提出的应用模型技术进行软件开发的方法和标准体系,其核心技术是平台无关模型建模和平台特定模型转换。MDA 代表了现代软件开发理论与方法发展的主流趋势,可以预见到它会成为继面向对象技术后软件工程史上的又一个里程碑。本文对 MDA 进行了系统性的阐述,包括 MDA 产生背景、总体构成、模型体系、软件方法、应用与评价以及最新研究与趋势等。     

Model-Driven Development in the Enterprise

For decades, model-driven development has been the perfect example of software-engineering hype. Just as bees are attracted to honey, we software engineers look for ways of simplifying our work and automating endless change cycles. Today, after many years of experimenting with MDD, mostly in limited-size scientific environments, the three ingredients of methodology, notation, and tools seem to fit and support each other. Round-trip engineering might still be some years from day-to-day practice, but simple forward engineering with MDD is readily available to software practitioners now. And it works. In this issue's column, Axel Uhl, chief development architect in SAP's Office of the CTO, looks into MDD methodologies and tool support. He shares his many practical experiences to help you master the ramp-up for your own enterprise.     

Towards a Subject-Oriented Model-Driven Framework

Model-Driven Architecture is an approach which tackles such problems as: the high availability that a software product requires to be ready for use, the high degree of evolution that a software system has nowadays, etc. However, in the development of large complex systems, the benefits of that approach have been diminished due to the size and complexity of models that describe these kinds of systems. At this point Aspect-Oriented Software Development (AOSD) appears to improve the understanding, reusability and adaptation of the software artefacts. Its mechanism is based on modularization of crosscutting concerns in well-identified isolated entities called aspects. For this reason we propose to use together AOSD and MDA in the hope of reducing the shortcomings of the latter. Thus, aspects like security, replication, real-time constraints, etc., will be modelled by specialist modellers independently throughout the MDA framework. Our proposal exploits a tool for checking the consistency between different models (aspects) at the same level of abstraction; supporting the traceability of UML elements, requirements, and concerns; and controlling the impact of changes throughout the MDA framework.     

模型驱动的嵌入式仿真系统设计

为解决嵌入式系统仿真应用需求多样性的问题并提高系统的开发效率,设计一种通用嵌入式仿真系统。该系统在Matlab/Simulink开发环境的基础上,采用模型驱动的方法设计仿真模型并构建仿真组件库,实现了仿真系统模型的快速建立。同时设计了多接口、可扩展的仿真器硬件结构,解决了嵌入式系统接口的多样性问题。该仿真系统具有良好的可重用性和可移植性等特点,可用于多种嵌入式软件的开发,具有现实意义。     

页面流模型驱动的Web应用框架研究

随着业务需求的日渐庞大,构筑大规模web应用系统变得愈加复杂。各种Web应用框架的出现,为应用开发人员提供了相当多的便利。然而目前大多数的Web应用框架仅为Web应用定义了一个层次清晰、分工明确的编程模型,实现这个模型仍然需要手工编写大量代码,而且基于XML的页面流配置文件往往冗长而难以维护。针对这些问题,论文提出了一种页面流模型驱动的Web应用开发框架,它以页面流模型的设计为核心,根据需求分析定制应用的整体业务流程,并给出了支持该框架的Web应用开发工具PFlowWeb。最后介绍一个由PFlowWeb开发的基于Web的文件共享交换系统的应用案例。实践表明,运用该平台可以有效提高大中型Web应用系统的开发效率,增强系统的健壮性和可扩展性。     

UML-Based Model-Driven Development for HSDPA Design

UML-based model- driven development can reduce the costs of developing, maintaining, and evolving complex software systems. Experiments with a High-Speed Downlink Packet Access design illustrate this approach's effectiveness.     

Generating CAM aspect-oriented architectures using Model-Driven Development

Aspect-Oriented Software Development promotes the separation of those concerns that cut across several components and/or are tangled with the base functionality of a component, through all phases of the software lifecycle. The benefit of identifying these crosscutting concerns (aspects) at the architectural level in particular is to improve the architecture design and its subsequent evolution, before moving onto detailed design and implementation. However, software architects are not usually experts on using specific AO architecture notations. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to provide support to define and specify aspect-oriented (AO) architectures using non-AO ones as the source. We will use the Model-Driven Development approach to transform a component-based architecture model into an AO architecture model. The CAM (component and aspect model) model and the DAOP–ADL language are the proposals used for modelling and specifying AO architectures. We will show how we automated part of the process and the tool support.