WebML
WebML 10 (or 15?) years, without showing it
Marco BrambillaPolitecnico di Milano
WebML
WebML
Agenda
• The need• The strategy • The history
WebML
The need
Abstraction
WebMLThe need
• Conceptual modeling
• Abstraction from the technology.. But NOT • From the technological opportunities• From the requirements
• Innovation• Extensibility
WebML
The Strategy
Virtuous innovation cycle
WebMLThe Strategy
• Retrospective
• Virtuous Cycle– At two levels:
• Macro-innovations • Refinement of each innovation
• Repeatability of the experience.. Not granted!
WebML
Research (Politecnico)
WebMLDesign method, language, and
platform
Tool vendor (WebRatio)
Customers (requirement
providers)
Teaching (university courses)
Final customers
(EU) Research Project consortia
Software houses and integrators
innovation
innovation toolsuite
Toolsuite, industrial requirements
innovation
requirementsuse cases
WebML
The history
“Amarcord”?(F. Fellini, 1973)
WebML1. AutoWeb
• Once upon a time ...
1998
• W3I3 project
• The research starts
WebML2. WebML
• And then ...
1999
• Teaching and consolidation at Politecnico
WebML3. WebML in action
• And then ...
2000• The first “customer”
WebML3. WebML in action
• And then ...
2000• The first “customer”• No company or product yet• Features implemented at night in Italy upon
customers request in the US during the day
WebML4. Web Services
• And then ...2003
• SOA, Services, Mashups
• First research solution:
Travel Agencyhome page
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CommentExchange
Asynchronousrequest-response
operation
Conversationname
Tourist_Comment
ConnectToUser
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SubjectBody
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Room Search Page
Guest#Period
AvailRooms
RoomOffer
X XRoom Adapter
OfferXML-in X X
Canon. Adapter
ReservConv
GetRoomOffer
WebML4. Web Services
• And then ...2005
• Refinement and implementation
WebML5. Business Processes
• And then ... 2004
• Business processes andorchestrations
• Research proposal:
Applicant SiteView
Request
Start
Request
End
Requests page Proposal Confirmation
Choice
Start
Choice
End
LoanProposal[Request_LoanProposal]
Proposals
Apply Now
Perform the Choice activity:
Confirm the selected loan proposal.
Modify the application data.
Perform the Request activity:
Fill in personal and loan data.Assign the new application to
the next activity.
Home page Request Details page
Request
LoanRequest
Data Entry Modify
User
Profile
User
Modify Profile pageModify Profile
Proposal
LoanProposal
LoanRequest[Approved=True][User_Request]
RequestsUser
User
Loan Accepted page
Request
LoanRequest
Your Requests
WebML5. Business Processes
• And then ... 2010
• Industrial implementation and refinement– Directly in the WebRatio tool– After a few years (based on customers need)
WebML6. Semantic Web
• And then ... 2005
WebML6. Semantic Web
• Still a research project only
• But.. What about the future? – Linked data, ...
WebML7. RIA - AJAX
• And then ... 2005
• Rich Web interfaces
• Theoretical model in the research group• And simplified model implemented in the tool
immediately available• Future: a new, comprehensive model coming up
WebML8. Social Web / BPM
• Today
WebML8. Social Web / BPM
• Oggi
WebML9. Standardization
• Today• Strategic effort within OMG (Object
Management Group)
WebML9. ...
• What about the future?
• Search, Interfaces, Modernization
And...?
WebML
Conclusion
Virtuous cycle