Integrating Fact-Oriented Modeling with Object-Oriented Modeling

Abstract

Although the Unified Modeling Language (UML) provides deep support for the design of object-oriented applications, it currently lacks a number of features that have proved very valuable for conceptual analysis, especially for modeling of database applications. One promising solution to this problem is to use a fact-oriented approach such as Object Role Modeling (ORM) for the initial conceptual analysis and then transform this to UML. This chapter provides a comparative evaluation of the two approaches, specifically for data modeling and shows how to get the best out of both by using them in combination. Apart from its advantages for conceptual analysis, ORM’s richer and more rigorous constraint specification mechanisms can help to address gaps and inconsistencies in the current UML specification.