From a freeform graphics tool to a repository based modeling tool

Traditional software modeling tools are rigid and formal. There is no support for, e.g. freeform sketching that does not conform to the used meta-model, and hence, a lot of the actual modeling work gets done with other methods. Modeling tools are used merely for documenting the work later on, which is not economical. There is a need for flexible modeling tools that support the modeling in earlier phases of the work by allowing more freeform and informal descriptions as a part of the model. Tools like spreadsheets, word processing tools, and vector graphics tools are commonly used in software development. In this paper, we consider an approach where such a tool is enhanced with modeling support, in order to gain better support for the actual modeling work. We also show how we have created a graphical repository based case tool by using Microsoft Visio, and conclude the approach to be practical.