Abstract
The existing tools that aim to derive data models from business process models are typically able to process the source models represented by one single notation and also serialized in one specific way. However, the standards (e.g., BPMN) enable different serialization formats and also provide serialization flexibility, which leads to various implementations of the standard in different modeling tools and results in differently serialized models in practice, which therefore significantly constraints usability of the existing model-driven tools. In this article, we present an approach to automatic derivation of conceptual database models from business process models represented by different notations, with particular focus on differently serialized process models. A deterministic rule-based approach is proposed to overcome the serialization specificities and to enable extraction of characteristic elements from differently serialized process models. Based on the proposed approach, we implemented an online web-based model-driven tool named AMADEOS, which is able to automatically derive conceptual database models from process models represented by different notations and also differently serialized. The experimental results show that the proposed approach and implemented tool enable successful extraction of specific elements from differently serialized process models and enable derivation of the target conceptual database models with very high completeness and precision.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
Business Process Model and Notation [63].
Extensible Markup Language.
XML Schema Definition.
XML Metadata Interchange.
Unified Modeling Language [66].
OMG (Object Management Group) offers two XSLT transformations (XML2XMI and XMI2XML) to convert BPMN models from XSD to XMI format and vice versa.
ATLAS Transformation Language [47].
Query/View/Transformation [61].
Web Services Business Process Execution Language.
BPMN Model Interchange Work Group (http://www.omgwiki.org/bpmn-miwg/).
BPMN MIWG tools (https://github.com/bpmn-miwg/bpmn-miwg-tools).
Without loss of generality, source BPM concepts are represented with BPMN.
The given approach (as shown in Fig. 7) enables extensibility and support for other (not necessarily metamodel-based) notations by implementing additional extractors.
Business Model Representation Language
As already stated, this makes the preexisting extractor services unusable for differently serialized BPMs, which motivates our research presented in this article.
JavaScript Object Notation.
Diagram Interchange.
Diagram Common.
Diagram Definition.
eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [82].
All source XSD-serialized BPMN models are available at: https://gitlab.com/m-lab-research/amadeos_re_xsd.
All source XMI-serialized models are available at: https://gitlab.com/m-lab-research/amadeos_re_xsd.
All reference artifacts are available at: https://gitlab.com/m-lab-research/amadeos_re_xsd.
XML Path Language [83].
All generated artifacts are available at: https://gitlab.com/m-lab-research/amadeos_re_xsd.
The remaining tools (which do not provide XSD-based serialization functionality) are available at: https://www.lucidchart.com/, https://online.visual-paradigm.com/, https://bpmn.studio/, https://www.gliffy.com/, https://www.heflo.com/, https://www.diagrameditor.com/, https://cacoo.com/, http://www.bicdesign-free.com/webedition/.
All models from the control set are available at: https://gitlab.com/m-lab-research/amadeos_re_xsd.
References
Aguilar, J.A., Garrigós, I., Mazón, J.N., Trujillo, J.: An MDA approach for goal-oriented requirement analysis in web engineering. J. Univers. Comput. Sci. 16(17), 2475–2494 (2010)
Alencar, F., Marín, B., Giachetti, G., Pastor, O., Pimentel, J.H.: From i* requirements models to conceptual models of a model driven development process. In: Persson, A., Stirna, J. (eds.) POEM 2009. LNBIP, vol. 39, pp. 99–114. Springer, Berlin (2009)
Alencar, F., Pedroza, F., Castro, J., Amorim, R.: New mechanisms for the integration of organizational requirements and object oriented modeling. In: Proceedings of WER 2003, pp. 109–123 (2003)
Alencar, F.M.R., Filho, G.A.C., Castro, J.F.: Support for Structuring Mechanism in the Integration of Organizational Requirements and Object Oriented Modeling. In: Proceedings of WER 2002, pp. 147–161 (2002)
Alencar, F.M.R., Pedroza, F.P., Castro, J., Silva, C.T.L., Ramos, R.A.: XGOOD: a tool to automatize the mapping rules between i* framework and UML. In: Proceedings of CIbSE 2006, pp. 125–138 (2006)
Ang, C.L., Khoo, L.P., Gay, R.K.L.: IDEF*: a comprehensive modelling methodology for the development of manufacturing enterprise systems. Int. J. Prod. Res. 37(17), 3839–3858 (1999)
Banjac, D., Brdjanin, D., Banjac, G., Maric, S.: Evaluation of automatically generated conceptual database model based on collaborative business process model: controlled experiment. In: Stojanov, G., Kulakov, A. (eds.) ICT Innovations 2016. AISC, vol. 665, pp. 134–145. Springer, Berlin (2016)
Becker, L.B., Pereira, C.E., Dias, O.P., Teixeira, I.M., Teixeira, J.P.: MOSYS: a methodology for automatic object identification from system specification. In: Proceedings of ISORC 2000, pp. 198–201. IEEE Computer Society (2000)
Bloomfield, T.: MDA, meta-modelling and model transformation: introducing new technology into the defence industry. In: Hartman, A., Kreische, D. (eds.) ECMDA-FA 2005. LNCS, vol. 3748, pp. 9–18. Springer, Berlin (2005)
Boccalatte, A., Giglio, D., Paolucci, M.: ISYDES: the project of a tool aimed at information system development. In: Proceedings of AIWORC 2000, pp. 293–298. IEEE (2000)
Brambilla, M., Cabot, J., Comai, S.: Automatic generation of workflow-extended domain models. In: Engels, G., et al. (eds.) MoDELS 2007. LNCS, vol. 4735, pp. 375–389. Springer, Berlin (2007)
Brambilla, M., Cabot, J., Comai, S.: Extending conceptual schemas with business process information. Adv. Softw. Eng. 2010, Article ID 525121 (2010)
Brdjanin, D., Banjac, D., Banjac, G., Maric, S.: Automated two-phase business model-driven synthesis of conceptual database models. Comput. Sci. Inf. Syst. 16(2), 657–688 (2019)
Brdjanin, D., Banjac, G., Banjac, D., Maric, S.: An experiment in model-driven conceptual database design. Softw. Syst. Model. 18(3), 1859–1883 (2019)
Brdjanin, D., Ilic, S.: Dealing with structural differences in serialized BPMN models. In: Reinhartz-Berger, I., et al. (eds.) Enterprise, Business-Process and Information Systems Modeling. LNBIP, vol. 352, pp. 344–358. Springer, Cham (2019)
Brdjanin, D., Maric, S.: An example of use-case-driven conceptual design of relational database. In: Proceedings of Eurocon 2007, pp. 538–545. IEEE (2007)
Brdjanin, D., Maric, S.: Towards the initial conceptual database model through the UML metamodel transformations. In: Proceedings of Eurocon 2011, pp. 1–4. IEEE (2011)
Brdjanin, D., Maric, S.: An Approach to Automated Conceptual Database Design Based on the UML Activity Diagram. Computer Science and Information Systems 9(1), 249–283 (2012)
Brdjanin, D., Maric, S.: Model-driven techniques for data model synthesis. Electronics 17(2), 130–136 (2013)
Brdjanin, D., Maric, S., Gunjic, D.: ADBdesign: an approach to automated initial conceptual database design based on business activity diagrams. In: Catania, B., Ivanovic, M., Thalheim, B. (eds.) ADBIS 2010. LNCS, vol. 6295, pp. 117–131. Springer, Berlin (2010)
Brdjanin, D., Banjac, D., Banjac, G., Maric, S.: An approach to automated two-phase business model-driven synthesis of data models. In: Ouhammou, Y., et al. (eds.) Model and Data Engineering. LNCS, vol. 10563, pp. 57–70. Springer, Berlin (2017)
Brdjanin, D., Banjac, D., Banjac, G., Maric, S.: An online business process model-driven generator of the conceptual database model. In: 8th International Conference on Web Intelligence, Mining and Semantics—WIMS’18, pp. 16:1–16:9. ACM (2018)
Brdjanin, D., Banjac, G., Banjac, D., Maric, S.: Controlled experiment in business model-driven conceptual database design. In: Reinhartz-Berger, I., et al. (eds.) Enterprise, Business-Process and Information Systems Modeling. LNBIP, vol. 287, pp. 289–304. Springer, Berlin (2017)
Brdjanin, D., Banjac, G., Maric, S.: Automated synthesis of initial conceptual database model based on collaborative business process model. In: Bogdanova, M.A., Gjorgjevikj, D. (eds.) ICT Innovations 2014: World of Data. AISC, vol. 311, pp. 145–156. Springer, Cham (2015)
Brdjanin, D., Maric, S.: On automated generation of associations in conceptual database model. In: De Troyer, O., et al. (eds.) ER Workshops 2011. LNCS, vol. 6999, pp. 292–301. Springer, Berlin (2011)
Brdjanin, D., Maric, S.: Towards the automated business model-driven conceptual database design. In: Morzy, T., Harder, T., Wrembel, R. (eds.) Advances in Databases and Information Systems. AISC, vol. 186, pp. 31–43. Springer, Berlin (2012)
Castro, J.F., Alencar, F.M.R., Filho, G.A.C., Mylopoulos, J.: Integrating organizational requirements and object oriented modeling. In: Proceedings of ISRE 2001, pp. 146–153. IEEE (2001)
Cruz, E.F., Machado, R.J., Santos, M.Y.: From business process modeling to data model: a systematic approach. In: Proceedings of QUATIC 2012, pp. 205–210. IEEE (2012)
Cruz, E.F., Machado, R.J., Santos, M.Y.: Deriving a data model from a set of interrelated business process models. In: Proceedings of ICEIS 2015, pp. 49–59 (2015)
Cruz, M.E.F., Machado, R.J., Santos, M.Y.: On the rim between business processes and software systems. In: Cruz, A.M.R., Cruz, M.E.F. (eds.) New Perspectives on Information Systems Modeling and Design, pp. 170–196 (2019). https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-7271-8.ch008
de la Vara, J.L.: Business process-based requirements specification and object-oriented conceptual modelling of information systems. Ph.D. Thesis, Valencia Polytechnic Uni. (2011)
Dominguez, E., Pérez, B., Rubio, A., Zapata, M.A., Allué, A., López, A.: Generating persistence structures for the integration of data and control aspects in business process monitoring. In: Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems—vol. 2: ICEIS, pp. 320–327. SciTePress (2018)
Drozdova, M., Kardos, M., Kurillova, Z., Bucko, B.: Transformation in model driven architecture. In: Information Systems Architecture and Technology: Proceedings of 36th International Conference on Information Systems Architecture and Technology—ISAT 2015—Part I, pp. 193–203. Springer, Cham (2016)
Drozdová, M., Mokryš, M., Kardoš, M., Kurillová, Z., Papán, J.: Change of paradigm for development of software support for eLearning. In: Proceedings of ICETA 2012, pp. 81–84. IEEE (2012)
Dujlovic, I., Obradovic, N., Kelec, A., Brdjanin, D., Banjac, G., Banjac, D.: An approach to web-based visualization of automatically generated data models. In: IEEE EUROCON 2019—18th International Conference on Smart Technologies, pp. 1–6. IEEE (2019)
España, S.: Methodological integration of communication analysis into a model-driven software development framework. Ph.D. Thesis, Valencia Polytechnic Uni. (2011)
Essebaa, I., Chantit, S.: Toward an automatic approach to get PIM level from CIM level using QVT rules. In: 2016 11th International Conference on Intelligent Systems: Theories and Applications (SITA), pp. 1–6. Mohammedia (2016)
Fernandes, J.M., Lilius, J., Truscan, D.: Integration of DFDs into a UML-based model-driven engineering approach. Softw. Syst. Model. 5(4), 403–428 (2006)
Fouad, A.: Embedding requirements within the model driven architecture. Ph.D. Thesis, Bournemouth Uni. (2011)
Geiger, M., Harrer, S., Lenhard, J., Casar, M., Vorndran, A., Wirtz, G.: BPMN conformance in open source engines. In: 2015 IEEE Symposium on Service-Oriented System Engineering, pp. 21–30 (2015)
Geiger, M., Neugebauer, P., Vorndran, A.: Automatic standard compliance assessment of BPMN 2.0 process models. In: Kopp, O., Lenhard, J., Pautasso, C. (eds.) ZEUS 2017. CEUR-WS, vol. 1826, pp. 4–10 (2017)
Geiger, M., Wirtz, G.: BPMN 2.0 serialization: standard compliance issues and evaluation of modeling tools. In: Proceedings of the 5th International Workshop on Enterprise Modelling and Information Systems Architectures—EMISA’13, pp. 177–190 (2013)
Insfran, E., Pastor, O., Wieringa, R.: Requirements engineering-based conceptual modelling. Requir. Eng. 7(2), 61–72 (2002)
Insfran, E.: Requirements engineering approach for object-oriented conceptual modeling. Ph.D. Thesis, Valencia Polytechnic Uni. (2003)
Ivanov, S.Y., Kalenkova, A.A., van der Aalst, W.M.P.: BPMNDiffViz: a tool for BPMN models comparison*. In: CEUR Workshop Proceedings, vol. 1418, pp. 35–39 (2015)
Jiang, L., Topaloglou, T., Borgida, A., Mylopoulos, J.: Goal-oriented conceptual database design. In: Proceedings of RE ’07, pp. 195–204. IEEE, Los Alamitos (2007)
Jouault, F., Allilaire, F., Bezivin, J., Kurtev, I.: ATL: a model transformation tool. Sci. Comput. Program. 72(1–2), 31–39 (2008)
Khlif, W., Elleuch, N., Alotabi, E., Ben-Abdallah, H.: Designing BP-IS Aligned Models: An MDA-based transformation methodology. In: Proceedings of the 13th International Conferennce on Evaluation of Novel Approaches to Software Engineering–ENASE 2018, pp. 258–266 (2018)
Koch, N.: Transformation techniques in the model-driven development process of UWE. In: Proceedings of the Workshops at ICWE’06, Art. No. 3. ACM (2006)
Koch, N., Zhang, G., Escalona, M.J.: Model transformations from requirements to web system design. In: Proceedings of ICWE’06, pp. 281–288. ACM (2006)
Kolovos, S.D., Di Ruscio, D., Pierantonio, A., Paige, F.R: Different models for model matching: an analysis of approaches to support model differencing. In: Proceedings of the ICSE Workshop on Comparison and Versioning of Software Models, pp. 1–6. IEEE (2009)
Koskinen, J., Peltonen, J., Selonen, P., Systa, T., Koskimies, K.: Model processing tools in UML. In: Proceedings of ICSE 2001, pp. 819–820. IEEE Computer Society (2001)
Kriouile, A., Addamssiri, N., Gadi, T.: An MDA method for automatic transformation of models from CIM to PIM. Am. J. Softw. Eng. Appl. 4(1), 1–14 (2015)
Kurz, M., Menge, F., Misiak, Z.: Diagram interchangeability in BPMN 2. Recommended reading for the OCEB 2 BPMN 2 certification program (2014)
Lingzhi, L., Ang, C.L., Gay, R.K.L.: Integration of information model (IDEF1) with function model (IDEF0) for CIM information system design. Expert Syst. Appl. 10(3/4), 373–380 (1996)
Liu, D., Subramaniam, K., Far, B., Eberlein, A.: Automating transition from use-cases to class model. In: Proceedings of CCECE 2003, pp. 831–834. IEEE (2003)
Martinez Rebollar, A.: Conceptual schemas generation from organizational models in an automatic software production process. Ph.D. Thesis, Valencia Polytechnic Uni. (2008)
Nikiforova, O., Gusarovs, K., Gorbiks, O., Pavlova, N.: BrainTool: a tool for generation of the UML class diagrams. In: Proceedings of ICSEA 2012, pp. 60–69. IARIA (2012)
Nikiforova, O., Gusarovs, K., Gorbiks, O., Pavlova, N.: Improvement of the two-hemisphere model-driven approach for generation of the UML class diagram. Appl. Comput. Syst. 14(1), 19–30 (2013)
Nikiforova, O., Pavlova, N.: Application of BPMN instead of GRAPES for two-hemisphere model driven approach. In: Grundspenkis, J., et al. (eds.) ADBIS 2009 Workshops. LNCS, vol. 5968, pp. 185–192. Springer, Berlin (2010)
OMG: MOF 2.0 Query/View/Transformation Specification, v1.0. OMG (2008)
OMG: Business Process Modeling Notation, v1.2. OMG (2009)
OMG: Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), v2.0. OMG (2011)
OMG: Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), v2.0.2. OMG (2014). https://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/2.0.2/. Accessed 13 Jan 2020
OMG: Diagram Definition (DD), v1.1. OMG (2015)
OMG: Unified Modeling Language (OMG UML), v2.5. OMG (2015)
Rhazali, Y., Hadi, Y., Chana, I., Lahmer, M., Rhattoy, A.: A model transformation in model driven architecture from business model to web model. IAENG Int. J. Comput. Sci. 45(1), 214–227 (2018)
Rodriguez, A., Fernandez-Medina, E., Piattini, M.: Analysis-level classes from secure business processes through model transformations. In: Lambrinoudakis, C., Pernul, G., Tjoa, A.M. (eds.) TrustBus 2007. LNCS, vol. 4657, pp. 104–114. Springer, Berlin (2007)
Rodriguez, A., Fernandez-Medina, E., Piattini, M.: Towards obtaining analysis-level class and use case diagrams from business process models. In: Song, I.Y., et al. (eds.) ER Workshops 2008. LNCS, vol. 5232, pp. 103–112. Springer, Berlin (2008)
Rodriguez, A., Garcia-Rodriguez de Guzman, I., Fernandez-Medina, E., Piattini, M.: Semi-formal transformation of secure business processes into analysis class and use case models: an MDA approach. Inf. Softw. Technol. 52(9), 945–971 (2010)
Rungworawut, W., Senivongse, T.: Using ontology search in the design of class diagram from business process model. PWASET 12, 165–170 (2006)
Santos, M.Y., Oliveira e Sá, J.: A Data Warehouse Model for Business Processes Data Analytics, pp. 241–256. Springer, Cham (2016)
Santos, M.Y., Machado, R.J.: On the derivation of class diagrams from use cases and logical software architectures. In: Proceedings of ICSEA ’10, pp. 107–113. IEEE (2010)
Selonen, P., Koskimies, K., Sakkinen, M.: Transformations between UML diagrams. J. Database Manag. 14(3), 37–55 (2003)
Silva, L.F., Leite, J.C.S.P.: Generating requirements views: a transformation-driven approach. Electron. Commun. EASST 3, 1–14 (2006)
Srivastava, S.: Model transformation approach for a goal oriented requirements engineering based WebGRL to design models. Int. J. Soft Comput. Eng. (IJSCE) 3(6), 66–75 (2014)
Stephan, M., Cordy, J.R.: A survey of model comparison approaches and applications. In: Proceedings of Modelsward 2013, pp. 265–277. SCITEPRESS (2013)
Störrle, H.: Effective and efficient model clone detection. In: De Nicola, R., Hennicker, R. (eds.) Software, Services, and Systems, pp. 440–457. Springer, Cham (2015)
Strüber, D., AcreŢoaie, V., Plöger, J.: Model clone detection for rule-based model transformation languages. Softw. Syst. Model. 18(2), 995–1016 (2019)
Tan, H.B.K., Yang, Y., Blan, L.: Systematic transformation of functional analysis model in object oriented design and implementation. IEEE Trans. Softw. Eng. 32(2), 111–135 (2006)
Truscan, D., Fernandes, J.M., Lilius, J.: Tool support for DFD-UML based transformation. In: Proceedings of ECBS ’04, pp. 378–387. IEEE (2004)
W3C: XSL Transformations (XSLT) v2.0. W3C (2010)
W3C: XML Path Language (XPath) 3.1. https://www.w3.org/TR/xpath-31/ (2017). Accessed 25 Jan 2020
Wrycza, S.: The ISAC-driven transition between requirements analysis and ER conceptual modelling. Inf. Syst. 15(6), 603–614 (1990)
Zhang, J., Feng, P., Wu, Z., Yu, D., Chen, K.: Activity based CIM modeling and transformation for business process systems. Int. J. Softw. Eng. Knowl. Eng. 20(3), 289–309 (2010)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by Jelena Zdravkovic and Iris Reinhartz-Berger.
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brdjanin, D., Ilic, S., Banjac, G. et al. Automatic derivation of conceptual database models from differently serialized business process models. Softw Syst Model 20, 89–115 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10270-020-00808-3
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10270-020-00808-3