Domain-driven development (3D) has recently popularized the importance of model-based research. A broad range of new research topics in this space have emerged and are being explored in numerous contexts. At the past two OOPSLA DSVL workshops, an international group of researchers assembled to discuss topics related to modeling and domain-specific visual languages. Although these prior workshops had a wide selection of topics (including generative/transformation techniques from models to code), this version of the OOPSLA 2003 DSM workshop will focus solely on issues at the modeling level.
A contributing factor to the rising interest in modeling comes from the realization of productivity gains that have been attributed to a shift in focus toward software represented at varying degrees of abstraction. In the past, abstraction was improved when programming languages evolved towards higher levels of specification. Today, domain-specific modeling provides a trajectory for continuing to raise the description of software to more abstract levels.
Much investigation is still needed in order to advance the acceptance and viability of model-driven techniques. This workshop contained position papers describing new ideas at both a practical and fundamental level. From a practical side, submissions were received from tool vendors and others who have experience in applying modeling techniques within a specific domain. In addition to industrial projects, the workshop contained initial descriptions of fundamental research ideas that initiate and forward the technical underpinnings of the science of modeling. In particular, the importance of metamodeling was highlighted in this workshop. Metamodeling concepts significantly ease the implementation of domain-specific visual languages and provide support for experimenting with the modeling language as it is built (thus, metamodel-based language definition also assists in the task of constructing generators that reduce the burden of tool creation and maintenance).
Some topics that were proposed for the workshop were:
The presentation slides and accepted position papers can be found here.
The following photos are available from the workshop: Photo 1 (467Kb), Photo 2 (449Kb), Photo 3 (464Kb)
Potential submitters to the Domain-Specific Modeling workshop may also be interested in the topics at the Generative Techniques in the context of Model-Driven Architecture.
Previous workshops on Domain-Specific Visual Languages were held during past OOPSLA and GPCE conferences. Links to the papers, presentations, and information for these workshops are available at:
The following links provide examples of domain-specific modeling, as well as pointers to events and related topics:
Jeff Gray
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Computer & Information Sciences
126 Campbell Hall
1300 University Blvd.
Birmingham, AL 35294-1170 USA
gray (at) cis.uab.edu
http://www.gray-area.org
Juha-Pekka Tolvanen
MetaCase
Ylistonmentie 31
FIN-40500 Jyvaskyla Finland
jpt (at) metacase.com
http://www.cs.jyu.fi/~jpt
Matti Rossi
Helsinki School of Economics
FIN-00100 Helsinki Finland
mrossi (at) hkkk.fi
http://hkkk.fi/~mrossi
