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However, finding a solution to this issue is not enough. Indeed, with increasingly
complex applications, it is also necessary to be able to create reusable application
models enabling new applications to be generated based on proven models; this will
enable us to accelerate developments and increase their reliability. This is what is
proposed by the model-driven approach, which is currently associated with a huge
research movement. In our works, we have attempted to summarize these needs and
constraints, in order to put forward a method and tools enabling to us take into
account the use of travel time in public transport by the user, in the context of a
model-driven approach, to develop personalized interactive applications.
9.2. The modeling of applications and consideration of the needs of users in the
context of personalizing interactive applications
9.2.1. Modeling of applications and the MDE approach
Model-driven engineering (MDE) is becoming the new paradigm in terms of the
development of ICT applications [FAV 06], [HAI 06], [SCH 06]. Its objective is to
enable the creation of ICT applications based on conceptual models, particularly
those based on an assembly of conceptual models; each model dealing with a well-
defined business issue. From a systemic approach by ICT applications, each model
represents a different point of view of a same business process, such as access
safety, the distribution of tasks between stakeholders, etc. Also, a business process is
seen as an ensemble of tasks enabling a user to reach a specific goal (visualize the
next departure, renew a transport subscription, etc.).
An important notion of MDE is that of the conceptual model. As far as we are
concerned, we have retained the definition given by the Object Management Group
(OMG) for the computation independent model level of the model-driven
architecture (MDA) approach [OMG 03] that corresponds to a level of conceptual
models: “ the CIM [computational independent model] model is a view of the system
from the sole point of view of the IT elements which enable it to be realized. The
CIM model does not show the details of the structure of systems. A CIM model is
sometimes called a domain model and a vocabulary which is familiar to experts in
this domain is used to specify it ”.
The objective of conceptual methods is to enable experts in the field, who are not
ICT specialists but business specialists, to themselves define the models of the
business processes that they use and want to see used again in an ICT application. In
the rest of the chapter, for greater clarity we will use the term business expert instead
of field expert.
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