Supporting Information Systems Analysis Through Conceptual Model Query – The Diagramed Model Query Language (DMQL)

Delfmann Patrick, Breuker Dominic, Matzner Martin, Becker Jörg

Abstract
Analyzing conceptual models like process models, data models, or organizational charts is useful for several purposes in information systems engineering, for instance, business process improvement, compliance management, model driven software development, and software alignment. To analyze conceptual models structurally and semantically, so-called model query languages have been put forth. Model query languages take a model pattern and conceptual models as input and return all subsections of the models that match this pattern. Existing model query languages typically focus on a single modeling language and/or application area (such as analysis of execution semantics of process models), are restricted in their expressive power of representing model structures, and/or abstain from graphical pattern specification. As the mentioned restrictions may hamper query languages to propagate into practice, we aim to close this gap by proposing a modeling language-spanning structural model query language based on flexible graph search, hence providing high structural expressive power. To address ease-of-use, it allows diagramed specification of model queries. In this article, we present the syntax and the semantics of the diagramed model query language (DMQL), a corresponding search algorithm, an implementation as a modeling tool prototype, and a performance evaluation.

Keywords
information systems engineering; conceptual modeling; conceptual model analysis; model query; query language; graph search