Enriching Conceptual Modelling Practices through Design Science

Models, modelling languages, modelling frameworks and their background have dominated conceptual modelling research and information systems engineering for last four decades. Conceptual models are mediators between the application world and the implementation or system world. Design science distinguishes the relevance cycle as the iterative process that re-inspects the application and the model, the design cycle as the iterative model development process, and the rigor cycle that aims in grounding and adding concepts developed to the knowledge base. This separation of concern into requirements engineering, model development and conceptualisation is the starting point for this paper.

Research in design science and on conceptual modelling resulted in a large body of knowledge, practices, and techniques. The two research approaches have developed their approaches and solutions. This paper shows how the two approaches can be integrated without making a sacrifice for integration. Modelling is based on modelling activities. Integration therefore starts with an integrated view on modelling. As an example of this integration we shall use reasoning support for modelling. Each modelling step considers specific work products, orients towards specific aspects of the system or application, involves different partners, and uses a variety of resources.