Modality of Business Rules

2011 ◽  
pp. 206-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Halpin
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Modeling ◽  
Software Tool ◽  
Role Modeling ◽  
Business Rules ◽  
Graphic Notation ◽  
Modal Operators ◽  
Modeling Approaches ◽  
Main Ideas ◽  
Object Role Modeling ◽  
Static Nature

A business domain is typically subject to various business rules. In practice, these rules may be of different modalities (e.g., alethic and deontic). Alethic rules impose necessities, which cannot, even in principle, be violated by the business. Deontic rules impose obligations, which may be violated, even though they ought not to be. Conceptual modeling approaches typically confine their specification of constraints to alethic rules. This chapter discusses one way to model deontic rules, especially those of a static nature. A formalization based on modal operators is provided, and some challenging semantic issues are examined from both logical and pragmatic perspectives. Because of its richer semantics, the main graphic notation used is that of object-role modeling (ORM). However, the main ideas could be adapted for UML and ER as well. A basic implementation of the proposed approach has been prototyped in Neumont ORM Architect (NORMA), a software tool that supports automated verbalization of both alethic and deontic rules.

Enriched Conceptualization of Subtyping

2010 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Halpin
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Relational Databases ◽  
Second Generation ◽  
Object Oriented ◽  
Role Modeling ◽  
Graphic Notation ◽  
Open Source Tool ◽  
Main Ideas ◽  
Object Role Modeling

When modeling information systems, one often encounters subtyping aspects of the business domain that can prove challenging to implement in either relational databases or object-oriented code. In practice, some of these aspects are often handled incorrectly. This chapter examines a number of subtyping issues that require special attention (e.g. derivation options, subtype rigidity, subtype migration), and discusses how to model them conceptually. Because of its richer semantics, the main graphic notation used is that of second generation Object-Role Modeling (ORM 2). However, the main ideas could be adapted for UML and ER, so these are also included in the discussion. A basic implementation of the proposed approach has been prototyped in Neumont ORM Architect (NORMA), an open-source tool supporting ORM 2.

Objectification of Relationships

2011 ◽  
pp. 106-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Halpin
Keyword(s):  
Unified Modeling Language ◽  
Information Modeling ◽  
Graphic Notation ◽  
Unified Modeling ◽  
Modeling Approaches ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Practical Guidelines ◽  
Entity Relationship ◽  
Main Ideas ◽  
Object Role Modeling

Some popular information-modeling approaches allow instances of relationships or associations to be treated as entities in their own right. Object-role modeling (ORM) calls this process “objectification” or “nesting.” In the unified modeling language (UML), this modeling technique is called “reification,” and is mediated by means of association classes. While this modeling option is rarely supported by industrial versions of entity-relationship modeling (ER), it is allowed in several academic versions of ER. Objectification is related to the linguistic activity of nominalization, of which two flavors may be distinguished: situational and propositional. In practice, objectification needs to be used judiciously, as its misuse can lead to implementation anomalies, and those modeling approaches that permit objectification often provide incomplete or flawed support for it. This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of objectification, shedding new light on its fundamental nature, and providing practical guidelines on using objectification to model information systems. Because of its richer semantics, the main graphic notation used is that of ORM 2 (the latest generation of ORM); however, the main ideas are relevant to UML and ER as well.

Two Meta-Model for Object-Role Modeling

2011 ◽  
pp. 17-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Cuyler ◽  
Terry Halpin
Keyword(s):  
Unified Modeling Language ◽  
Role Modeling ◽  
Tool Support ◽  
Business Rules ◽  
Conceptual Information ◽  
Meta Model ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Interchange Format ◽  
Entity Relationship ◽  
Object Role Modeling

For conceptual information analysis, the object-role modeling (ORM) approach is arguably more suitable than entity-relationship modeling and the class modeling technique within the Unified Modeling Language. Although ORM has been used for three decades and now has industrial modeling tool support, it has no official, standard meta-model. Because of its extensive capability for expressing business rules, ORM is currently being considered as a possible standard for business rules expression within the Object Management Group (OMG), and for use in ontology standards. To support these initiatives and the interchange of ORM model data between different software tools, this chapter discusses recent research by the authors to pave the way for a standard ORM meta-model that employs a standard interchange format. Two different ways of meta-modeling ORM features are presented, design trade-offs are examined, and extensions to ORM are proposed. As proof of concept, a working prototype that is compliant with the OMG’s Meta-Object Facility is also discussed.

scholarly journals Building Quranic stories ontology using MappingMaster domain-specific language

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 684
Author(s):  
Rusul Yousif Alsalhee ◽  
Abdulhussein Mohsin Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Query Language ◽  
Role Modeling ◽  
Domain Specific Language ◽  
Modeling Language ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
The People ◽  
Holy Quran ◽  
The Holy Quran ◽  
Object Role Modeling

<p>The Holy Quran, due to it is full of many inspiring stories and multiple lessons that need to understand it requires additional attention when it comes to searching issues and information retrieval. Many works were carried out in the Holy Quran field, but some of these dealt with a part of the Quran or covered it in general, and some of them did not support semantic research techniques and the possibility of understanding the Quranic knowledge by the people and computers. As for others, techniques of data analysis, processing, and ontology were adopted, which led to directed these to linguistic aspects more than semantic. Another weakness in the previous works, they have adopted the method manually entering ontology, which is costly and time-consuming. In this paper, we constructed the ontology of Quranic stories. This ontology depended in its construction on the MappingMaster domain-specific language (MappingMaster DSL)technology, through which concepts and individuals can be created and linked automatically to the ontology from Excel sheets. The conceptual structure was built using the object role modeling (ORM) modeling language. SPARQL query language used to test and evaluate the propsed ontology by asking many competency questions and as a result, the ontology answered all these questions well.</p>

Formal Semantics of Dynamic Constraints and Derivation Rules in ORM

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-47
Author(s):  
Herman Balsters ◽  
Terry Halpin
Keyword(s):  
Predicate Logic ◽  
Formal Semantics ◽  
Role Modeling ◽  
Single Step ◽  
State Transitions ◽  
Dynamic Constraints ◽  
First Order ◽  
Previous State ◽  
Object Role Modeling ◽  
Post Condition

This paper provides formal semantics for an extension of the Object-Role Modeling approach to support declaration of dynamic rules. Dynamic rules differ from static rules by involving state transitions, rather than simply individual states. This paper restricts application of dynamic rules to single-step transactions, with a previous state (input to the transaction) and a new state (the result of that transaction). These dynamic rules specify an elementary transaction type by indicating which kinds of objects or facts (being added, deleted or updated) are involved. Dynamic rules may declare pre-conditions relevant to the transaction, and a post-condition stating the properties of the new state. In this paper the authors provide such dynamic rules with a formal semantics based on sorted, first-order predicate logic. The key idea underlying their solution is the formalization of dynamic constraints in terms of static constraints on the database transaction history.

A Look Behind Conceptual Modeling Constructs in Information System Analysis and Design

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Remigijus Gustas
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Conceptual Modeling ◽  
Technical System ◽  
Single Type ◽  
System Analysis And Design ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
Object Oriented Design ◽  
Modeling Approaches ◽  
Modeling Approach

Information systems can be conceptualized in a number of ways. Most methodologies propose to analyze separately process and data semantics by projecting them into totally different diagram types. This system analysis and design tradition is very strong in most modeling approaches such as structured analysis as well as object-oriented design. Structural and behavioral aspects are complementary. They cannot be analyzed in isolation. Lack of a conceptual modeling approach, which can be used for verification of semantic integrity among various types of diagrams, is the cornerstone of frustration for information system architects. Inconsistency, incompleteness and ambiguity of conceptual views create difficulties in verification and validation of technical system architectures by business experts, who determine the organizational strategies. Consequently, the traditional information system methodologies are not able to bridge a communication gap among business experts and IT-system designers. Various interpretations of semantic relations in conceptual modeling approaches make the system analysis and design process more art than science. It creates difficulties to formulate comprehensible principles of decomposition and separation of concerns. Unambiguous definition of aggregation and generalization is necessary for breaking down information system functionality into coherent non-overlapping components. This article concentrates on conceptual modeling enhancements, which help to avoid semantic integrity problems in conceptualizations on various levels of abstraction. The presented conceptual modeling approach is based on a single type of diagram, which can be used for reasoning on semantic integrity between business process and data across organizational and technical system boundaries.

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