COMPUTER SCIENCE AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS REPORTS

Technical Report TR-7

Kalle Lyytinen, Pentti Kerola

Janne Kaipala, Steven Kelly, Jari Lehto, Hui Liu, Pentti Marttiin, Harri Oinas-Kukkonen, Juha Pirhonen, Matti Rossi, Kari Smolander, Veli-Pekka Tahvanainen, Juha-Pekka Tolvanen

MetaPHOR: Metamodeling, Principles, Hypertext, Objects and Repositories

December 1994

    University of Jyväskylä                 University of Oulu            
 Department of Computer Science         Department of Information 
    and Information Systems                 Processing Science                  
          P.O. Box 35                            Linnanmaa                
      FIN-40351  JYVÄSKYLÄ                    FIN-90570  OULU              
            Finland                               Finland
Abstract
 This report summarises the research of project MetaPHOR, the aim of which was to develop models, architectures, and technical solutions for a flexible metaCASE (Computer-Aided Systems Engineering) environment: a software tool to enable information systems developers to use their own methods and ways of working with full computer support. Another aim was to develop principles and tools for Computer-Aided Method Engineering (CAME), i.e. the creation and adaptation of design methods to fit a given development situation. These have been implemented in the MetaEdit+ environment which provides graphical, matrix, and text based tools for the creation and manipulation of both IS designs and IS design methods. Based on the sophisticated GOPRR data model also developed in the project, MetaEdit+ is a multi-user, multi-method, multi-tool platform for both CAME and CASE. It also includes a hypertext system to provide support for cross-references between various designs, tracking of design decisions, and enhancing user-related adaptability. Several IS design and business modelling methods have been modelled and used in the tool. In addition, an object-centred method, COM, has been developed in the project. It has been used in modelling the MetaEdit+ environment, and partial tool support for it has been implemented.

Keywords: Computer-aided systems engineering, Method engineering, Information systems development methods.