An MDA-based Approach for Facilitating Adoption of Semantic Web Service Technology

A semantic web service extends the capabilities of a web service by associating a semantic description of the web service in order to enable better search, discovery, selection, composition, and integration. Semantically-rich languages such as OWL-S have been created in order to provide a mechanism for describing the semantics of semantic web services. Unfortunately, for the common developer, the learning curve for such languages can be steep, providing a barrier for adoption and widespread use. Model Driven Architecture (MDA) is an approach to software development that is centered on the creation of models rather than program code, allowing for a separation of concerns between a specification and an implementation. We are developing an approach that allows an architect to focus on creation of composite web services by specifying a semantic web service using OWL-S specifications. These composite services are specified using standard UML model and generating specifications and applications using MDA concepts. As such, difficulties caused by a steep learning curve for OWL-S can be mitigated by using a language that has a wide user base, thus facilitating adoption.