Model-based development is the idoneous paradigm for web systems. Implementation technologies as well as offered functionality are in constant evolution. Abstract web designs are far more stable than the implementations, so it is essential to allow developers to express themselves using problem domain entities so there is an improvement in productivity. However, it must be noticed that web development teams are interdisciplinary groups and each member uses his/her own language (or meta-model) to express solutions to the same problems. This project presents the development of web systems by integrating meta-models pertaining to diverse areas of domain or perspectives.
In particular, we intend to develop a framework that combines three specific domain meta-models or three design perspectives: application domain meta-models oriented to specialists in that domain and users that in MoDUWEB will be restricted to the e-leraning area; hypermedia/web meta-models that provide the software design context; and usability engineering meta-models that offer components to the interface design and system interaction. MoDUWEB will allow each development team member to use tools pertaining to his/hers knowledge domain, so communication is optimized. At the same time, to guaranty the integrity and consistency of the final design the different perspectives will integrate in a unique formal representation from which code can be generated automatically. Moreover, to improve product quality product metrics and V&V techniques will be included by using widely accepted design patterns so that design knowledge can be reused. V&V as well as the different metrics could activate the redesign process. . As design guidelines, patterns and metrics come from different communties, MoDUWEB will help in reusing multidisciplinary knowledge about design. All these theoretical issues will be implemented in a prototype.
The project’s objective it is not to develop specific domain meta-models neither their design tools, but to use standards and existing tools and to integrate them using formal specification and model transformation techniques. As mentioned before, we will focus on three areas in which the group has extensive experience: web engineering, e-learning and usability engineering