1. The Truth is in the Models
Adopting UML as
modeling platform
by Andrius Strazdauskas
No Magic

2. About myself
• Andrius Strazdauskas
• European Sales Director @ No Magic
• 13 years in modeling industry
• Former:
• Programmer @ No Magic
• Project manager @ No Magic
• Product manager @ No Magic
• Standards Architect @ OMG
` 2

3. Evolution of modeling standards
A lot of modeling standards are available:
– UML
– SysML
– BPMN
– SoaML
– UPDM
– SBVR
– IMM
– and many more
3

4. 4

5. Evolution of modeling
• Models are getting larger
• Models are getting more complex
• Models are used at more and more domains
• Models tend to overlap
As a result there are a lot of disconnected models
that are modeling connected things
5

6. How to…
How to have models that are:
• Integrated,
• Traceable,
• Based on standards…
6

7. UML as platform for model
integration
Pros:
• UML has infrastructure
• UML has extensibility mechanism
• UML is rich enough to cover most types of models
• A lot modeling standards are built on UML
• Wide support in tooling
• Standard persistence
7

8. UML as platform for model
integration (2)
Cons:
• UML is very complex (~250 concepts)
• UML is perceived as technical/IT language
• A UML profile need to be created for each new
modeling standard in order to integrate it into
master model
• Can be extended, but not subtracted
8

9. What’s next?
• So if UML can host any type of model…
• …literally every UML tool can allow working on any
kind of model !..
• Or… is something that is good for everything is
really good for nothing?..
9

10. Is this BPMN?
10

11. This is how it should look
11

12. What are the challenges for UML tool?
If a tool needs to model non-UML models it needs to
stop being a UML tool :
• Hide UML
• Show domain specific information
12

13. How did we do it?
Basic ideas:
• Change (extend) the metamodel
• Change the way diagram looks like
• Introduce custom diagram types
• Hide unnecessary UI
• Change the meta-names
• Add additional modeling rules
• Add model validation rules
13

14. Metamodel changes
14

15. Diagram Element Change
15

16. New diagram types
Domain-specific
diagram palette
Diagrams are
customized using
MagicDraw UI
This customization is UI driven, no coding is required.
16

17. GUI changes
Domain-specific
names
Domain-specific
properties
Can be further
customized by
user
This customization is model driven, no coding is required.
17

18. Role-based perspectives
This customization is UI driven, no coding is required.
18

19. Validation
Model-
based
(OCL) rule
Validation definition
results
This customization is model driven, no coding is required.
19

20. Summary
• UML can be used as a platform for different kinds
of models
• MagicDraw can be transformed into a DSL
solution at a pretty low cost
• User friendly / domain specific interface instead
of technical one is the key
20

21. QUESTIONS?
Awards
Jolt Productivity Best Java Best Team
Best Java
Winner Modeling Tool Development
Database Tool
Tool