Dr. Ryosuke Hotaka, Professor of the University of Tsukuba
Historically, multiple modelling standards were developed in each of their application domains. For example, engineering applications used EXPRESS and business applications used SQL. As long as each application can be handled by one modelling product that conforms to one standard of a particular background, the problem is not serious. But due to the integration requirements over plural application domains, the tasks become very difficult or infeasible simply because modelling standards used are not compatible with each other. Though a single modelling standard is desirable, it will not be a practical solution. We have to search for a harmonized family of modelling standards instead. To help achieve this objective, this paper proposes conceptual integration of multiple modelling standards. In this paper, we concentrate only on data aspect of the modelling standard.
Two models can be integrable in micro level if one modelling concept in the first is semantically equivalent to another modelling concept of the second and vice versa. Typical micro level integration would be possible if renaming the concepts appearing in the first model turns out to be the second model.
Example.
A model composed of {entiy, entity type, attribute, value} and another model composed of {object, class, instance variable, value of instance variable} is integrable.
2.2 Macro level integration
In order to discuss the macro level integration, it is necessary to define a set S of macro modelling concepts. A model X is said to be integrable with respect to a set of macro level modelling concepts S if each macro level modelling concept of S can be represented by a set of modelling concepts of the model X.
Example of set of macro modelling concepts.1 ([1])
S={actor, action, action occurrence, process, actand, input actand, output actand, resource, action context, goal, goal-pursuing actor, ...}
Example of set of macro modelling concepts.2
S={enterprize, order, purchase, location, fund-transfer, contract, ...} If it is shown that a model X is integrable with respect to a set of mocro level modelling concepts S, then the representation can be regarded as one definition of S by X. One candidate of integrable model is the model being developed by JTC1/SC21/WG3 CSMF.
Given a set S of macro modelling concepts, users of standard model can use modelling concepts of S interchangeably as long as the standatd model is integrable with respect to S. If a standard model X claiming to be integrable with respect to S should provide a mechanism so that users of X use concepts of X in only integrable way. I.e., if several concepts corresponds to a macro concept of S, there must be a checking mechanism that only the integrated set of concepts (that corresponds to a macro concept) are used and not partially used.
The set of macro level modelling concepts S must be constructed so that the check if a model X is integrable with respect to S can be easily be performed. E.g., introduction of some formalism may be useful to check not all but part of correspondence. The conformance test that a model X is integrable with respect to a set of macro level modelling concepts S must be performed by ISO.
Conformance tests must be done in fair condition. It should not be affected by any single country or consortium. Currently, only ISO standard is qualified with respect to this criterion where each national body has equal voting right. That is why ISO standard is appreciated first in official procurement.
Establishment of rigorous and sufficiently practical base of integration is proposed. The fair and infinitely integrable standard model can be achieved. If the proposed scheme is adopted, several standard set of macro level modelling concepts would be specified and each model who claims to be integrable with respect to the standard set of macro level modelling concepts must show how a macro modelling concept corresponds to a set of its modelling concepts. It also must provide some mechanism so that users of X use concepts of X in only integrable way.
Currently a project editor of JTC1/SC21/WG3 CSMF
Chairman of data management for JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard)