"Models that don't execute are like cars without engines".Executable Models implement wrt 3GL the same paradigm that 3GL implemented through compilers or interpreters.The model is the system, it's not something you should maintain or keep aligned separately.Executable models help reduce errors (at least of 10%, according to estimates), but most importantly they help to find … Continue reading Stephen Mellor tutorial on Executable UML at the OMG meeting, Arlington, VA, March 22, 2011
I recently happened to read this abstract of Friedrich Steimann's verdict on MDA/MDD:Models have their greatest value for people who cannot program. Unfortunately, this is not because models are more expressive than programs (in the sense that they are capable of expressing complex things in a simple manner), but because they oversimplify. To make a … Continue reading Models and reality: upon the verdicts on MDA/MDD
Turning a business process model into the specification, design and implementation of a software solution for process enactment is a non trivial task. It might be considered as not so relevant by business analysts (that typically focus more on BPR and BP optimization), but I think it's a crucial issue anyway.Indeed, the specified processes can … Continue reading Multi-faceted BPM: Turning a business process model into software automation
Due to a recent discussion I had to spend some time thinking on who should build a DSL (Domain Specific Language) and why, as opposed to who should use it.Let's start from some basic assumptions:Good abstractions must be intuitive and make life easier, not harder. DSLs are a must-have for most application scenarios (I'm not … Continue reading Building DSLs: who, how and when
In case you didn't see it, here is the short introductory video about WebRatio, in which a speaker highlights the main features of the MDD tool based on WebML:[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDrWaKSlSvY]You can also find some audio lessons on WebML on my official web site.
I've come across the concerns of Keith Swenson and Anatoly Belychook on the missing expressive power of BPMN with respect to the description of human decisions in business processes. Bruce Silver has tackled the problem too.I (together with my research group and the WebRatio team) definitely share their concern. After some discussions, experiments, and on-the-field … Continue reading User gateways in BPMN?
Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) are design and/or development languages that are designed to address the needs of a specific application domain. DSLs are particularly useful because they are tailored to the requirements of the domain, both in terms of semantics and expressive power (and thus do not enforce end users to study more comprehensive general-purpose languages) … Continue reading Some thoughts on DSLs (Domain Specific Languages)
Yesterday, November 24, I gave a seminar at Politecnico di Bari. Here are the slides (just an excerpt from another, broader slideset I prepared)WebML, BPM, and WebRatiohttp://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=webmlpolibari-101125071708-phpapp02&stripped_title=webml-and-webr&userName=mbrambilView more presentations from Marco Brambilla.[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Politecnico+Di+Bari&sll=37.230328,-95.712891&sspn=49.543298,114.169922&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Politecnico+Di+Bari,+Via+Giovanni+Amendola,+132,+70126+Bari,+Puglia,+Italy&ll=41.109598,16.881009&spn=0.09299,0.222988&z=13&output=embed&w=425&h=350]
I've been quite excited at the announcement of IBM Blueworks Live by Phil Gilbert at BPM 2010 last September, and the expectations kept growing until the last weekend.The I read the blog post by Sandy Kemsley and I thought: all right, that's a preview, let's wait for the final site. Then I went through the … Continue reading Much ado about nothing? — reconsidering IBM Blueworks Live
In response to the really sensible question posted on eBizQ: What key methods do you use for applying design patterns in BPM? here is my viewpoint:I've been working both on software engineering (where design patterns have basically redefined the entire discipline) and in web and BP design.I think to pattern as reusable design solutions to … Continue reading Applying design patterns in BPM?
