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Modeling should be an independent
scientific discipline
@JordiCabot / jordicabot.com / modeling-languages.com
Jordi Cabot, Antonio Vallecillo
Cabot, J., Vallecillo, A. Modeling should be an independent scientific
discipline. Softw Syst Model (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10270-
022-01035-8 (Open access)
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My background (as it affects my
perspecitve)
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SOM research lab -
Our mission
Interested in the broad area
of systems and software
engineering, especially
promoting the rigorous use
of software models and
engineering principles in
all software engineering
tasks.
Flickr/clement127
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Why this reflection?
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Need to reclaim the key role of modeling
and bring it into the limelight
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• Grady Booch – history of softwre engineering
The entire history of software engineering is that of
the rise in levels of abstraction
- Grady Booch
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• Everything is a model
• The key role of modeling and abstraction in software engineering
• Their key role also beyond software itself
I think we all agree
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Low-code application platforms accelerate app
delivery by dramatically reducing the amount of
hand-coding required – Forrester Report
BUT we have a marketing problem…
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Low-code is trending
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Low-code is trending because
•Much clearer message: Everybody understands
that low-code means “less coding”. MDD is much
more confusing
•Sounds familiar, as the marketing msg is still focus
on the code
•Simpler pipeline, no transformation chains, one-
shot modeling.
•Low-code tools are better <- Usability issues!!!
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"Given the final model, the complete computerized
information system can be automatically
generated“
"we arrive at a specification from which executable
code can be automatically generated"
Already topics at CAiSE’91
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We have a scientific (recognition) problem…
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Even more important thanks to new opportunities
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Modeling can be helpful in
other domains
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“Formalizing” and automatic analysis in some
domains
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No content
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Cheaper solutions for others
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• But we can still help with our particular modeling
perspective and expertise
– By building a useful set of abstractions and precise
notations to use them
– “Machinery” to automatically reason on, process and
exchange models build with these abstractions
There is plenty of modeling in other domains
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Our proposal
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To unleash the full potential of modeling we need to break free of
our traditional positioning within software engineering and
cooperate with scientists and engineers from other domains.
The best way to achieve this is for modeling to become an
independent discipline that serves all the rest.
WIN-WIN proposition -> we help others and learn from them
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Modeling as a
transdisciplinary dicipline
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Why a discipline
• A way to give modeling the recognition it
deserves, increase its visibility,
and attract the talent and resources it
needs
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Object of
research
Body of
knowledge
Theories and
concepts
Terminology
Reserach
methods
Teaching
Can it be a discipline?
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First steps
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Be inclusive
• Understand (and collect) how different
communities model
• Build bridges among different models and
study the benefits of different combinations
of such models
• Develop the proper tooling for this
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Community
• Identify key players in other fields
• Invite them to join the initiative
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Teaching modeling
• MBEBOK could be a starting point
• Combine a set of core concepts with specializations
for specific domains
– Specialization goes beyond tech concepts, e.g.
effective use of modeling in the domain X based on
the profile of user there
• Different education paths for “modeling users” and
“modeling devs”
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User driven DSLs
• New DSLs are needed for many domains
where use of modeling is informal
• But these domains are far from our knowledge
• We need to involve the end-users
• Lack of prof modelers -> non-tech people
creating DSLs
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Usability
• Modeling tools are not that usable, especially for
non experts
• Can we bring modeling to the tools they already
use?
• How to facilitate the modeling process?
– AI to the rescue
– Generation of models from data / docs
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Economies of modeling
• Methods to compute the ROI of modeling
• Needed to discuss the benefits of adopting
modeling in different scenarios
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Publishing
• To involve researchers, they must be able to
get something out of their time
• Interdisciplinary publishing is really tough
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Conclusion
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Cleary, there is interest
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[email protected]
@JordiCabot
jordicabot.com
Let’s keep discussing and
refining the new
discipline of modeling