Challenges of Modelling LandscapesPragmatics Swept Under the Carpet?

Abstract

In enterprise modelling, a wide range of models and languages is used to support different purposes. If left uncontrolled, this can easily result in a fragmented perspective on the enterprise, its processes and IT support. On its turn, this negatively affects traceability, the ability to do crosscutting analysis, and the overall coherence of models. Different strategies are suggested to achieve model integration. They mainly address syntactic-semantics aspects of models/languages, and only to a limited extent their pragmatics. In actual use, the 'standardising' and 'integrating' effects of traditional approaches (e.g. UML, ArchiMate) erodes. This is typically manifested by the emergence of local 'dialects', 'light weight versions', as well as extensions of the standard to cover 'missing aspects'. This paper aims to create more awareness of the factors that are at play when creating integrated modelling landscapes. Relying on our ongoing research, we develop a fundamental understanding of the driving forces and challenges related to modelling and linguitic variety within modelling landscapes. In particular, the paper discusses the effect of a priori fixed languages in modelling and model integration efforts, and argues that they bring about the risk of neglecting the pragmatic richness needed across practical modelling situations.