Europe

The Open Models (OMi) Laboratory is a dedicated research and experimentation space for modelling method enginering. Both a physical and virtual place, it is equipped with tools to explore method creation and design, experiment with method engineering and deploy software tools for modelling.

Open to all those interested, the laboratory is a platform where all participants can bring in ideas related to modelling and engage in the exploration process. The lab’s idea is to act as a facilitator to the development and application of scientific methods to communities who value models, and implicitly modelling methods. It is open to all application domains which can benefit from the use of models; it promotes openness of community projects and encourages communities to share their projects to the extent feasible.

As the construction of modelling methods is a complex task, the OMi Laboratory introduces the OMiLaboratory Lifecycle which uses the “Conceptualization Process” as a framework for developing modelling methods. Starting with the “Creation” step and ranging until the “Deployment” of the modelling method as an IT-tool, the laboratory provides the conceptual steps, the collaborative environment and the necessary working resources. For the “Design”, “Formalization” and “Development” steps the OMi Laboratory makes an open use of the ADOxx meta-modelling platform. Such a platform allows the use of concepts that support the modelling method engineering process (e.g. patterns, DSML) and formalisms which favour the re-use/evolution/variants of modelling methods. It also grants openness to other tools and open source add-ons.