Model-integrated computing

The integration of design tools and an executable system is an important step in software engineering's evolution. Model-integrated computing (MIC) through the use of domain specific modeling environments (DSMEs) is an emerging approach to computer programming. By providing a customized level of abstraction in a relatively short period of time, and leveraging existing domain knowledge by creating the language specifically for a domain expert, DSMEs are a logical progression of system design technology. MIC is the technology that turns a design tool into an executable system. DSMEs should be used only when they fit the profile required by the domain. A domain with a manageable set of components with well-understood behaviors is an excellent candidate for a DSME, as the final computer system can be generated from the model of the system. Once the domain is identified, then it is possible to use metamodeling to develop a language that suits that domain. To quote Mark Twain, "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug". MIC is the practice of finding the perfect words to express the problems of a domain, and using the implied meaning of the language to implement the system rapidly and efficiently.