From UML/OCL to SBVR specifications: A challenging transformation

UML is currently the most widely used modeling language for the specification of the conceptual schema (CS) of an information system (IS). However, UML falls short when it comes to allow business people to define in their own language (e.g. using their own terms in natural language) the policies and rules by which they run their business. To this purpose, the semantics of business vocabulary and business rules (SBVR) metamodel specification was Proposed. SBVR is conceptualized optimally for business people and it is designed to be used for business purposes, independently of information systems designs. Clearly, SBVR and unified modeling language (UML) cannot be considered as isolated languages. Many of the business rules specified by business people must be automatically executed by the underlying information system, and thus, they must also appear in its UML CS. In this sense, the main goal of this paper is to bridge the gap between UML and SBVR by providing an automatic transformation from UML to SBVR specifications. Thanks to our transformation, designers will be able to interact with the business people (in their own language) to refine and validate the information modeled in the CS before the generation of the final IS implementation. Our transformation also takes into account all possible textual object constraint language (OCL) expressions that complement the UML graphical elements. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.