1. Applying meta- modelling techniques for automatic generation of collaborative modelling systems Jesús Gallardo Casero Escuela Superior de Informática UCLM

2. Jesús Gallardo Casero · Member of CHICO. · Assistant Professor in UCLM. · Degree studies in Computer Science. · Ph.D. student. · Research lines: - Automatic generation of collaborative modelling systems. - Domain independence in groupware. - Meta-modelling applied to groupware development.

3. Outline  Introduction.  Domain independence in groupware systems.  Meta-meta-models for domain- independent modelling systems.  Our work.  Case study.

4. Introduction  Groupware development: It needs specific techniques that consider the particularities of this type of software.  Our approach: Using meta-modelling techniques and component-based development.

5. Domain independence in groupware systems  We deal with general-purpose modelling systems. Several users typically interact for the construction of a design or artefact. Shared space according to the whiteboard metaphor. The design follows a specification of a goal or task.

6. Domain independence in groupware systems  Problems: Materialization of the shared workspaces. Policies of floor control and turn taking. Other processes of communication and coordination. Definitions of the domains.

7. Domain independence in groupware systems  Domain independence: The design to make is not restricted to a specific domain. The system will be able to deal with diverse scopes of design. Our approach avoids the problems of having to re-design the system for each new domain.  Concepts of meta-modelling.

8. Domain independence in groupware systems  Related work: CoolModes, Synergo.

9. Meta-meta-models for domain- independent modelling groupware  We need to use meta-modelling techniques to define at different levels the elements on which we will work.  Use of ontologies to contextualize our definitions.

10. Our work  Our proposal begins with the definition of a series of ontologies. They will include the concepts that will appear in our domain-independent systems. From their instantiation, a set of meta- models will be obtained.

11. Our work  Three sub-ontologies: Domain sub-ontology.  Objects, variables and relationships.  Also graphical aspects. Modelling goal sub-ontology.  Requirements and constraints. Workspace sub-ontology.  Tasks and tools.

12. Case study  Practical application of our proposal: the SPACE-DESIGN tool.

13. Case study  SPACE-DESIGN: Tool with support for distributed synchronous work. It allows users to carry out modelling tasks. It is domain-independent.  The system reads the domain specification from an XML file. It uses concepts of component-based development.  Collaboration support tools are implemented as independent building blocks.

14. Case study  SPACE-DESIGN (cont.) It has been developed following the concepts described in our meta-meta- modelling proposal. But its development has not been carried out automatically processing the described meta-models  Future work.

15. Case study  Three levels of specification: Meta-model applied to a specific domain.  It instatiates the meta-meta-model. Formal specification.  In XMI or in XML with a specific schema. Groupware tool that uses the specification.  It can be reconfigured so that it can adapt itself to a new domain.