Input for requirement engineers @ Sparx Systems

[adepreter]

Following discussions with a customer...

** MODEL AND METAMODEL ***
A modeling tool is used for modeling systems.
A system can be a software system, an enterprise, a city, a country…, or a vehicle for defining and planning changes to a system.

!! A metamodel is not specific to a view but to an entire system that the model can represent.

!! Therefore, quick linkers and connector validation need to apply to the metamodel of the entire system.


** VIEWS **
!! Views (on a system) address specific stakeholders concerns using a typical **but not limited** set of modeling constructs available in toolboxes and contextual guidance.

Systems visualization vehicles include diagrams, charts, reports, matrices, documents etc.

The scope of visualization includes the as-is , transition and to-be states of a system (any system), along with the description of alternative solutions that can change the state of the system towards defined goals and related target capability roadmaps.


** CONSTRAINTS **
There need to be restrictions on the types of elements contained in specific typed catalog packages.

!! There should be no restrictions on the type of element and connector that can appear on a view and its quick linkers, since nobody can predict what additional type of element could clarify a specific view, beyond the typical set of constructs used for such viewpoint.


THEREFORE
The option to disable the toolbox filter that is restricting the connectors should be available in views.
For now it is only available in diagrams.

[Eve]

Wrong place for this. The feedback won't make it to anyone you don't see contributing to this forum.

!! A metamodel is not specific to a view but to an entire system that the model can represent.

Agreed.

!! Therefore, quick linkers and connector validation need to apply to the metamodel of the entire system.

Non-sequitur. You've leaped from the distinction between the entire metamodel and a view, but effectively stated that a view can't show a subset of the relationships. Why not?

There need to be restrictions on the types of elements contained in specific typed catalog packages.

I agree that would be a potentially useful update in the future. But if we did it wouldn't be forced on people.

!! There should be no restrictions on the type of element and connector that can appear on a view and its quick linkers, since nobody can predict what additional type of element could clarify a specific view, beyond the typical set of constructs used for such viewpoint.

Non-sequitur. The existence of restrictions to the element types to specific parts of the project structure has nothing to do with the relationships shown in a given view.

[adepreter]

The option to disable the toolbox filter that is restricting the connectors should be available in views.
For now it is only available in diagrams.

The customer problem is:
1) a metamodel is not specific to a view but to an entire system that the model can represent
2) nobody can predict what additional type of element could clarify a specific view, beyond the typical set of constructs used for such viewpoint.