Content
In the workshop “Developing a modelling approach“, the following questions can be considered:
a) Who are my stakeholders? Who will read the model?
b) What questions do these stakeholders have? What information should be read from the model?
c) What can a model-based solution look like to answer my stakeholders’ questions?
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- What language elements of one or more modelling languages are necessary to represent the data required to answer the stakeholders’ questions? (Sub-set of one or more modelling languages)
- How are the selected language elements structured?
- How are the selected language elements connected to connectors or other trace capabilities to find the information to answer the stakeholders’ questions in the model?
- Are language extensions (UML profiles) necessary to describe the required data with the desired information content?
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d) How can the creation of the necessary models be simplified to match the modelling approach developed?
e) What possibilities are there to simplify the answering of the questions for the stakeholders, based on a model that corresponds to the elaborated modelling approach?
Further questions that can be considered in the workshop:
f) How do I work in a team? What is the best approach to work on the model together with my team and processes?
g) How do I manage model versions? What is the appropriate model versioning approach for my modelling approach? Based on a modelling approach, which is to be developed in parallel, a suitable procedure for the versioning of models is worked out.
h) How do I manage model variants? What are the possibilities to create model variants based on the developed modelling approach?
Objectives and results
The aim of the workshop is to find answers to the questions listed above and to sketch a sample solution from them. It is also possible to deal with only a part of points a) to h) in the workshop.
Development of the model in the modelling approach – points a) b) c)
Points a) to c) contain the most important questions to get to the desired modelling approach. In the workshop, we identify with you the most important stakeholders and their questions. For the questions we create model-like solutions (the reference model) with which the stakeholders can later answer all their questions.
For the reference model, prototypes of UML profiles and MDG technologies, as well as automations in Enterprise Architect can already be created to get a better idea of the final model solution. In addition, constraints can be defined in the Enterprise Architect tool to reduce complexity.
More agile and easier work through automation – points d) e)
Items d) and e) address issues to make the modelling approach easier and more user-friendly for stakeholders. We have worked out further automatisms and recorded their functionality in a specification, which further support the stakeholders in creating the models and answering questions. Depending on the automatisms, the automatisms required for the modelling approach developed have already been prototyped.
Configuration management – points f) g) h)
The points f) to h) treat the topic configuration management and presuppose, like the points d) and e), an existing modelling approach. It is also possible to think about the issues from f) to h) in parallel with the development of the modelling approach.
Organizational implementation
Developing, implementing and rolling out a modelling approach is a process that takes time (weeks and months). You decide how long we accompany you in this process.
To get started with the modelling approach, a 2-3 day workshop is recommended. With the results of this workshop you can continue working independently. However, we are also happy to support you in the further steps to stabilize, implement and roll out the modelling approach.
In order to be able to efficiently achieve user acceptance and applicability and thus the highest benefit, an agile approach is recommended. The workshop can be divided into several sessions with half days or conducted with 1-3 days at a stretch. However, it is recommended to leave some time between the individual dates in order to be able to reflect on the requirements and results once again and to obtain feedback from the end users.
The results of the workshop are then run through with the end users as soon as possible in order to test the applicability and acceptance. The output of these acceptance tests is incorporated into the next workshop meeting in order to adapt the modelling approach to the insights gained, or to simplify it through automation (points d) and e)).
If desired, we can also take over the development of the entire modelling approach or only parts of it. We can then teach you how to work with the parts of the modelling approach that we have implemented in special coaching sessions. This saves you the initial creation of the necessary configurations, adjustments and automatisms, but you have understood them and can maintain them yourself.
Further trainings
After the workshop, you will be able to independently develop the results obtained – the specification of the modelling approach, the reference model, and any prototypes of MDG technologies and automatisms created in the workshop.
To learn additional skills, you can attend advanced and in-depth trainings on the following topics with us:
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- Create UML profiles
- Create metamodel constraints in UML profiles
- Create MDG technologies
- Create automations
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- Model scripts
- Model AddIns
- AddIns
- External remote control of Enterprise Architect
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- Model search
- Document generation
- Code generation
- Model transformations
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