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Concept Mapping is a method for externalizing and reflecting knowledge about real world phenomena. In cooperative settings, concept maps can also be used to aid cooperative learning activities and the development of a common understanding about the mapping subject. This process imposes requirements on tool support that have hardly been addressed in existing concept mapping tools. We present a tabletop interface designed to meet these requirements. In an empirical study, the positive effects on the cooperative mapping process facilitated by the proposed system have been shown in comparison to a traditional, screen-based system.

Today, software systems tend to be split into multiple components that can operate, both, autonomously and in a networked way, in order to pursue a common objective. Such a polymorph approach to system architectures requires novel specification techniques. A system-of-systems conceptualization enables addressing emergent behavior, while letting the involved components and systems operate independently of each other. This property requires system interoperability and can be achieved by bigraph-based modeling. A flexible abstraction mechanism as well as a strong typing of system interaction enable system interoperability in evolutionary environments. Consequently, the composition and decomposition of bigraphbased models support the emergence of novel behavior. We evaluate the potential of this approach based on its capability to represent system-of-systems according to the distinguishing characteristics proposed by Boardman and Sauser as well as by orchestrating two independent systems.