Ontology-Based Evaluation and Design of Domain-Specific Visual Modeling Languages

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the development of domain-specific visual modeling languages (DSVLs). It is believed that these languages can lead to an increase in productivity in the modeling activity and contribute to the production of models that are more flexible, reusable and easier to maintain than models produced by using generalpurpose modeling languages (Tolvanen et al 2004). However, in order to be effective, a DSVL must be defined taking into account the needs of its client users. From their perspective, the use of the language should be satisfactory in the following terms: (i) it should easy for a user of the language to communicate, understand and reason with the produced models (comprehensibility appropriateness); (ii) The language should be truthful to the domain in reality that it represents (domain appropriateness).