Object-Process Methodology Model Research Articles

When quantitative meets qualitative: enhancing OPM conceptual systems modeling with MATLAB computational capabilities

Conceptual modeling is an important initial stage in the life cycle of engineered systems. It is also highly instrumental in studying existing unfamiliar systems—the focus of scientific inquiry. Conceptual modeling methodologies convey key qualitative system aspects, often at the expense of suppressing quantitative ones. We present and assess two approaches for solving this computational simplification problem by combining Object-Process Methodology (OPM), the new ISO/PAS 19450 standard, with MATLAB or Simulink without compromising the holism and simplicity of the OPM conceptual model. The first approach, AUTOMATLAB, expands the OPM model to a full-fledged MATLAB-based simulation. In the second approach, OPM computational subcontractor, computation-enhanced functions replace low-level processes of the OPM model with MATLAB or Simulink models. We demonstrate the OPM computational subcontractor on a radar system computation. Experimenting with students on a model of an online shopping system with and without AUTOMATLAB has indicated important benefits of employing this computation layer on top of the native conceptual OPM model.

Executable System of Systems Architecture Using OPM in Conjunction with Colored Petri Net: A Module for Flexible Intelligent and Learning Architectures for System of Systems

AbstractThe ability to coordinate intricate operations in both intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) as well as search and rescue (SAR) operations is a complex issue. Such operations can be described as a System of Systems (SoS). Both object process methodology (OPM) and colored petri nets (CPN) can be used to create executable architecture models for an SoS. The modeling approach proposed in this study can capture the interactions that occur between either collaborating systems or components. It can also be used to analyze the behavioral aspects of an SoS. OPM models are easy to understand, giving stakeholders the ability to envision architecture's quality and scale. In contrast, the simulation capabilities of CPN can be used for accurate performance assessment. The proposed modelling approach facilitates decision making by providing a better estimation and confidence of the SoS's performance. The proposed system development framework and its enabling technology is domain neutral. This model can be applied to a broad range of SoS at various levels of abstractions. A case study for an ISR system is presented as an example.

Constructing and Evaluating “as-is” and “to-be” OPM Models for the Healthcare Sector for Adoption of Vscan

Current healthcare systems are no longer sustainable; governments around the world have come to realise that the rapidly growing demand for healthcare cannot be matched by sufficient financial resources, and that improving efficiency and cutting costs is not enough. System-wide changes that include people, products, processes, and services are required. All the relevant stakeholders need to get involved in developing alternative healthcare system models and be able to understand and interact with models of such systems in order to accelerate the adoption and diffusion of changes. This paper presents a systems approach to developing affordable business models based on the specific case example of novel portable ultrasound scanning device – the GE Vscan – for use in primary care. We investigated whole system changes required for adopting Vscan. Systems engineering principles are applied to represent alternative business models around this technology. Object Process Methodology (OPM) is utilized to visualise the conceptual models in order for subject matter experts to successfully participate in the development and validation of alternative healthcare systems. The paper concludes with a discussion on wider implications of adopting systems engineering methods and techniques.

Improving Project–Product Lifecycle Management with Model–Based Design Structure Matrix: A joint project management and systems engineering approach

AbstractWe investigate potential benefits of employing the Design Structure Matrix (DSM) in the context of Model–Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) for the purposes of analyzing and improving the design of a product–project ensemble. Focusing on process DSM, we present an algorithm for a bidirectional transformation framework between a product–project system model and its corresponding Model–Based DSM (MDSM). Using Object–Process Methodology (OPM) as the underlying modeling language, we examine and characterize useful and insightful relationships between the system model and its MDSM. An unmanned aerial vehicle case study demonstrates the semantics of and analogy between various types of relationships as they are reflected in both the OPM system model and the MDSM derived from it. We conclude with further research direction on showing how clustering of DSM processes can be reflected back as an improvement of the OPM model. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 16

A graph grammar-based formal validation of object-process diagrams

Two basic requirements from a system's conceptual model are correctness and comprehensibility. Most modeling methodologies satisfy only one of these apparently contradicting requirements, usually comprehensibility, leaving aside problems of correctness and ambiguousness that are associated with expressiveness. Some formal modeling languages do exist, but in these languages a complete model of a complex system is fairly complicated to understand. Object-process methodology (OPM) is a holistic systems modeling methodology that combines the two major aspects of a system--structure and behavior--in one model, providing mechanisms to manage the complexity of the model using refinement-abstraction operations, which divide a complex system into many interconnected diagrams. Although the basic syntax and semantics of an OPM model are defined, they are incomplete and leave room for incorrect or ambiguous models. This work advances the formal definition of OPM by providing a graph grammar for creating and checking OPM diagrams. The grammar provides a validation methodology of the semantic and syntactic correctness of a single object-process diagram.

Generating SysML views from an OPM model: Design and evaluation

AbstractConceptual modeling is key to Model‐Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approaches. OPM (Object‐Process Methodology) and SysML (OMG Systems Modeling Language) are two state‐of‐the‐art conceptual modeling languages. While both languages aim at the same purpose of providing a means for general‐purpose systems engineering, these languages take different approaches in realizing this goal. As each of the languages has its relative strengths and weaknesses, ways to create synergies between them are considered in this work. We propose combining advantages of each language through automatic generation of several SysML views from an OPM model. To this end, we developed a new algorithm and software application for implementing the OPM‐to‐SysML views generation, and evaluated the results through an experiment conducted for this purpose. The formally constructed experiment described in this paper, which has been designed to test the quality of the auto‐generated diagrams and their impact on system comprehension, indicates that the addition of some auto‐generated SysML views to an OPM system model has increased system comprehension level. Our approach can benefit various stakeholders by promoting better system understanding, standardization, and improved interoperability. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 14:

THE APPLICATION-BASED DOMAIN ANALYSIS APPROACH AND ITS OBJECT-PROCESS METHODOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION

Domain engineering can simplify the development of software systems in specific domains. During domain analysis, the first step of domain engineering, the domain is modeled at an abstract level, providing guidelines for modeling applications within that domain. Drawbacks of existing domain analysis approaches include poor guidelines for domain-specific application modeling, insufficient validations capability, and limited usability. In this paper we apply the Application-based Domain Modeling (ADOM) to the Object-Process Methodology (OPM). This application requires the extension of OPM with a classification mechanism. Showing that the ADOM-OPM approach overcomes limitations of existing approaches, we further verify experimentally that the level of correctness of an ADOM extended OPM model is higher than that achieved without the extension. Finally, we ensure that the proposed extension does not degrade the generic vanilla form of OPM.

Conceptual Modeling in Systems Biology Fosters Empirical Findings: The mRNA Lifecycle

One of the main obstacles to understanding complex biological systems is the extent and rapid evolution of information, way beyond the capacity individuals to manage and comprehend. Current modeling approaches and tools lack adequate capacity to model concurrently structure and behavior of biological systems. Here we propose Object-Process Methodology (OPM), a holistic conceptual modeling paradigm, as a means to model both diagrammatically and textually biological systems formally and intuitively at any desired number of levels of detail. OPM combines objects, e.g., proteins, and processes, e.g., transcription, in a way that is simple and easily comprehensible to researchers and scholars. As a case in point, we modeled the yeast mRNA lifecycle. The mRNA lifecycle involves mRNA synthesis in the nucleus, mRNA transport to the cytoplasm, and its subsequent translation and degradation therein. Recent studies have identified specific cytoplasmic foci, termed processing bodies that contain large complexes of mRNAs and decay factors. Our OPM model of this cellular subsystem, presented here, led to the discovery of a new constituent of these complexes, the translation termination factor eRF3. Association of eRF3 with processing bodies is observed after a long-term starvation period. We suggest that OPM can eventually serve as a comprehensive evolvable model of the entire living cell system. The model would serve as a research and communication platform, highlighting unknown and uncertain aspects that can be addressed empirically and updated consequently while maintaining consistency.

Aligning an ERP system with enterprise requirements: An object-process based approach

One of the main problems in ERP implementation projects is how to align an off-the-shelf software package with the business processes of the enterprise implementing it. The paper proposes a requirement-driven approach, which benefits from reusing the business process design without being restricted by predefined solutions and criteria. The approach applies an iterative alignment process, which employs an algorithm that matches a model of the enterprise requirements with a model of the ERP system capabilities. The algorithm identifies possible matches between the two models and evaluates the gaps between them despite differences in their completeness and detail level. It provides the enterprise with a set of feasible combinations of requirements that can be satisfied by the ERP system as a basis for making implementation decisions. We use Object-Process Methodology (OPM) to model both the ERP system and the enterprise requirements, and utilize the pair of resulting OPM models as input for the matching algorithm. The alignment algorithm has been tested in an experimental study, whose encouraging results demonstrate the ability of the approach to provide a satisfactory solution to the problem of aligning an ERP software package with an enterprise business model.

OPM vs. UML—Experimenting with Comprehension and Construction of Web Application Models

Object-Process Methodology (OPM), which is a holistic approach to modeling and evolving systems, views objects and processes as two equally important entities that describe the system's structure and behavior in a single model. Unified Modeling Language (UML), which is the standard object-oriented modeling language for software systems, separates the system model into various aspects, each of which is represented in a different view (diagram type). The exponential growth of the Web and the progress of Internet-based architectures have set the stage for the proliferation of a variety of Web applications, which are classified as hybrids between hypermedia and information systems. Such applications require a modeling approach that is capable of clearly specifying aspects of their architecture, communication, and distributive nature. Since UML and OPM are two candidates for this task, this study has been designed to establish the level of comprehension and the quality of the constructed Web application models using each one of these two approaches. In the experiment we carried out, third year undergraduate information systems engineering students were asked to respond to comprehension and construction questions about two representative Web application models. The comprehension questions related to the system's structure, dynamics, and distribution aspects. The results suggest that OPM is better than UML in modeling the dynamics aspect of the Web applications. In specifying structure and distribution aspects, there were no significant differences. The results further suggest that the quality of the OPM models students built in the construction part was superior to that of the corresponding UML models.