Metamodelling for Software Engineering

CHAPTER 2

Modelling Infrastructure

In Chapter 1, we explained how metamodelling is the art and science of engineering metamodels, which are a very specific kind of model. We argued that all metamodels are models and we stated in Section 1.2.1 that methodologies must be expressed using a specialized modelling language. This statement has the evident consequence that methodologies, from the metamodelling perspective, will also be represented as models. Furthermore, we described in Section 1.2.2 that methodologies represent endeavours and that endeavours, in turn, are modelled by software engineers in terms of a few key concepts such as work products, work units and producers. Section 1.1 also introduced the concept of a method component, which is, essentially, a composable model fragment.

It is thus clear that metamodels, methodologies and endeavours are all expressed as models, and the question of which modelling language we should use to express them is unavoidable. This chapter focuses on describing the basic modelling tools and techniques that are necessary in order to be able to create, maintain and communicate metamodels as well as representations of methodologies and endeavours.