Introduction: Models, Modeling, and Model-Driven Architecture (MDA)

Summary

Models, modeling, and Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) are the basis for a set of development approaches known as model-driven development (MDD). Models are used to reason about a problem domain and design a solution in the solution domain. Relationships between these models provide a web of dependencies that record the process by which a solution is created, and help to understand the implications of changes at any point in that process.

In addition to creating these models, we can define rules for automating many of the steps needed to convert one model representation to another, for tracing between model elements, and for analyzing important characteristics of the models. This style of MDD is called Model-Driven Architecture (MDA). The MDA approach is being widely discussed in the software industry today as a way of increasing the quality, efficiency, and predictability of large-scale software development. In this paper we explore the role of modeling and the MDA style of MDD, and provide a useful context for understanding current product and research efforts in area of MDA.