Principles of Semantically Integrated Conceptual Modelling Method

To obtain value from the graphical representations that are used by different stakeholders during the system development process, they must be integrated. This is important for achieving a holistic understanding about system specification. Integration can be reached via modelling process. Currently, most of information system modelling methods present different modelling aspects in disparate modelling dimensions and therefore it is difficult to achieve semantic integrity of various diagrams. In this paper, we present the principles of semantically integrated conceptual modelling method for information system analysis and design. The foundation of this modelling method is based on interaction flows. This way of modelling is critical for the identification of discontinuity and inconsistency in information systems specifications. It also provides possibility to integrate business processes and business data, which is necessary for the integration of various architectural domains and to reach the holistic view of enterprise architecture. We have explained in object-oriented terms how interactive, structural and transitional aspects are merged. We also demonstrated the interpretation of various patterns, in terms of semantically integrated conceptual modelling method. It was shown that the method has sufficient expressive power to cover some special cases, which do not match the standard pattern of transaction. The inference rules of interactions help in reasoning about system decomposition. In this method, decomposition is graphically described as classification, inheritance or composition of concepts. SICM method is based on a single type of diagram, which enables reasoning about integration with the help of a special set of inference rules. The ultimate goal of this paper is to present the generic principles for computation- neutral modeling of service interactions.