FINAL CALL FOR PAPERS
Workshop on Behavioral Models and Design Transformations:
Issues and Opportunities in Conceptual Modeling
6 - 7 November 1997
to be held in conjunction with the
16th International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER'97)
Los Angeles, California, USA
3 - 6 November 1997
http://osm7.cs.byu.edu/ER97
OVERVIEW
Conceptual models are not just for databases any more. From its
genesis in data modeling, the field of conceptual modeling has broadened
to include behavioral constructs. The advent of technologies such as
object orientation, active databases, triggers in relational databases,
and so-called "universal" DBMS (to name just a few) has placed greater
emphasis on the need to model behavioral aspects of systems, in addition
to structural aspects. The literature reflects an increasing interest
in conceptual models that cover both system structure and system
behavior.
The problem of how to design a database system based on a semantic data
model is well understood. The focus of traditional design is on issues
such as constraint satisfaction, information redundancy, access times,
etc. We apply well-studied information-preserving transformations (such
as normalization or denormalization) to arrive at a database with the
characteristics we desire. However, when we add behavior to the con-
ceptual model, we introduce additional design challenges that are less
well understood, such as controlling the amount of concurrency, optimiz-
ing communications between active components, ensuring correct synchron-
ization of active components, satisfying real-time constraints, etc.
Researchers are devoting increasingly more energy to the problems of
behavioral modeling in conjunction with traditional conceptual data
modeling. Behavioral modeling is not new, but its tighter integration
with traditional conceptual modeling has opened new questions and
opportunities. ER'97 provides an ideal forum for gathering interested
researchers to discuss challenges and progress, and to share ideas in
this important area.
TOPICS
The goal of this workshop is to better understand theoretical aspects
of behavioral models and use that understanding to suggest transforma-
tions that would be helpful in the design of active systems. To this
end, we will explore two major questions:
1. What constitutes a "good" behavioral model?
2. Given a "good" behavioral model, what issues related to design
transformations should we explore so that our understanding of
behavioral design will be as good as our understanding of more
traditional structural design?
Some topics related to question 1 include:
o What are the essential characteristics of a behavioral model?
- How close to the "real world" must a behavioral model be?
- Is intra-object concurrency necessary or desirable?
- Should the basic unit of behavioral transition be instantaneous?
- etc.
o How do we formally compare different behavioral models?
- How do we measure power in a behavioral model?
- Is computational completeness adequate?
- When does one model subsume another?
- Is a formal definition necessary or desirable?
- Are there issues of notational expressiveness we should consider?
Some topics related to question 2 include:
o What are the desirable properties of a behavioral model design?
o Are there useful canonical/normal forms for behavioral models?
o Can we identify any meaningful behavior patterns that seem to recur
frequently?
o How do we measure quality in a behavioral model?
o How do interface definitions impact the quality of a behavioral model?
o What design transformations are necessary or desirable?
o How do we guarantee information preservation in our transformations?
o Should behavioral design be independent of the implementation
platform?
- Are there useful design transformations that are platform
independent?
- Are there useful design transformations that are platform
dependent?
- Should design assume complete independence from the eventual
implementation platform, should it be totally dependent on the
platform, or should we use something in between?
o How does the inclusion of behavior in the conceptual model impact
structural aspects of the model?
- Are there subtle interactions between structural and behavioral
constructs that we need to consider?
- Are the transformations used in the absence of behavioral constructs
still information-preserving and otherwise effective in the presence
of behavioral constructs?
o How do designers know when a particular design is "done"? Can this
question only be answered on a project-by-project basis, or even
worse, must it be answered on a module-by-module basis?
These lists are not intended to be comprehensive. However, this work-
shop will focus on conceptual modeling and design issues, and not on
implementation method or methodology issues. Questions related to
actual implementation of behavioral designs are outside the scope of
this workshop.
PAPER SUBMISSION
Researchers interested in participating in the workshop may submit
either a full paper (maximum 5,000 words) describing completed research,
or a 1-3 page position statement describing their interest in the
workshop theme. Submissions should be sent as e-mail attachments
(PostScript files, Word documents, WordPerfect documents, or plain
ASCII text), or three printed copies, to the workshop chair (see
below).
A copy of the workshop proceedings will be made available to all
participants.
Submissions should include email and postal addresses of contact
authors, and should be received by July 31, 1997. If you need a bit
more time, send an e-mail to the workshop chair.
Potential participants are encouraged to email the workshop chair to
discuss the suitability of specific research projects to the workshop
theme.
Workshop participants must register for the ER'97 conference and pay
an additional $50 workshop fee.
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Stephen W. Clyde (Utah State University, USA)
Stephen W. Liddle (Brigham Young University, USA) (chair)
Scott N. Woodfield (Brigham Young University, USA)
WORKSHOP CHAIR
Stephen W. Liddle
School of Accountancy and Information Systems
Marriott School of Management
Brigham Young University
540 TRNB, BYU
Provo, UT 84602-3068 USA
email: liddle@byu.edu
phone: 801-378-8792
fax: 801-378-5933
IMPORTANT DATES
Submission Deadline: 15 August 1997 (extended deadline)
Notification: 31 August 1997
Workshop: 6-7 November 1997
ER'97 Web Site: http://osm7.cs.byu.edu/ER97
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