Understanding key transformations in model-driven development

软件开发是一个非常复杂的过程，在软件开发本身和应用领域都需要大量的知识和技能，研究人员长期以来一直试图管理这个过程的复杂性。早期的策略之一——最近由OMG的模型驱动架构恢复——将开发过程视为一个可能很长的劳动密集型序列，但是可以自动化的转换，从软件的规范开始，以产生一个工作版本。这个研究计划的长期目标是在一个转换的、模型驱动的方法的框架内更好地理解软件开发过程。更具体地说，我们感兴趣的是探索两种转换，它们体现了焦点的重大转移：1)从流程模型到信息系统模型的转换，以及2)从分析到设计的转换。通过从过程模型到分析模型的自动化转换，我们改善了软件的业务用户与其开发人员之间的通信，并且我们确保开发人员开发业务用户需要的东西。通过自动化从分析到设计的过渡，我们将设计师和开发人员从设计中涉及的繁琐和容易出错的任务中解脱出来，并让他们专注于创造性和智力挑战性的任务，在那里他们增加了最大的价值。通过自动化这两种转换，我们授权业务用户通过指定或“绘制”他们希望使用信息系统支持的业务流程来开发他们自己的应用程序。

Software development is a very complex process that requires vast amounts of knowledge and skills both in software development itself and in the application domain, and researchers have long been trying to manage the complexity of the process. One of the earlier strategies - recently rehabilitated by OMG's Model-Driven Architecture- viewed the development process as a possibly long sequence of labour intensive, but automatable transformations that start with a specification of the software to produce a working version. The long-term goal of this research program is to develop a better understanding of the software development process within the framework of a transformational, model-driven approach. More specifically, we are interested in exploring two transformations that embody a non-trivial shift in focus: 1) the transition from process models to information system models, and 2) the transition from analysis to design. By automating the transition from process models to analysis models, we improve communication between the business users of software, and its developers, and we ensure that developers develop what the business users need. By automating the transition from analysis to design, we relieve designers and developers from the tedious and error-prone tasks involved in designs, and let them focus on the creative and intellectually challenging tasks where they add the most value. By automating both transitions, we empower business users to develop their own applications by specifying or "drawing" the business process they wish to support with the information system.