Supporting Role and Request Conceptual Modeling with Ontology- Based Reasoning

This project involves creating a comprehensive method for developing and maintaining a Meta-model for the representation of Role and Request Modeling (R2M) constructs based on the notion of ontologies. R2M provides clear definitions and semantics for the constructs of conceptual models as well as a set of rules for guiding the modeling process. Currently, there are some challenges in evolving and maintaining R2M such as ensuring the consistency of any new rule with the set of existing rules and ensuring that a model conforms all R2M rules. The intern will provide an ontology-based Meta-model for modeling R2M constructs, rules, and their changes and updates. Using ontology constructs and reasoning techniques over them, the intern will provide a method for recognizing any update that is not consistent with the defined semantics for R2M and a method for ensuring that all rules are conformed by any given model. ModiViz, which is the owner of the intellectual property relating to R2M, will use the outcome of this project for having a single repository containing all the knowledge of R2M, having the ability to ensure consistency in the Meta-model, paving the way to the introduction of much more robust model validation and guidance in the tool, and educating modelers that much quicker.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Ron Cenfetelli

Student:

Faezeh Ensan

Partner:

ModiViz Business System Modeling Solutions Inc.

Discipline:

Business

Sector:

Finance, insurance and business

University:

University of British Columbia