Welcome

The Visual Modeling Forum is a web community dedicated to visual modeling languages and tools. The visual modeling languages that we cover include industry standards (e.g., UML, SysML, BPMN), as well as emerging standards, such as Domain-Specific Modeling languages and OWL for the Semantic Web.

You are encouraged to explore the following major areas of our web:

• UML Forum - a UML modeling community web that features information about UML modeling tools, specifications, publications, mailing lists, and blogs.
• BPMN Forum - a BPMN modeling community web that features information about  BPMN, BPEL, WS-CDL and other business modeling standards.
• SysML Forum - a SysML modeling community web that features information about SysML modeling tools, specifications, publications, mailing lists and blogs.
• Architecture Framework Forum - a modeling forum for organizing enterprise architectures via frameworks, such as DoDAF, MODAF, UPDM, TOGAF, and Zachman Framework.
• Domain-Specific Modeling - provides an overview of Domain-Specific Modeling resources.
• Visual OWL - furnishes an overview of visual notations for the Semantic Web's Ontology Language (OWL).
• Visual Requirements - provides an overview of visual notations for requirements engineering.
• Other Resources - furnishes links to other visual modeling resources.

For more information about visual modeling please read our Frequently Asked Questions page and subscribe to one of our visual modeling mailing lists.

News

October 31, 2008 - Dial 'M' for Marketecture: Microsoft Elaborates Upon Oslo 'M' Modeling Language at PDC 2008.
Microsoft elaborated upon its Oslo modeling strategy during its annual Professional Developers Conference (PDC) held in Los Angeles this week. It appears that the core technologies associated with the Oslo modeling strategy include a text-based Domain Specific Language (DSL) code-named 'M', a design "surface" named Quadrant, and a repository for semantic models that it is currently unnamed. (Why not 'R'?) Given Microsoft's announcement last month that is joining the OMG, it is less than clear how text-based 'M' will help the OMG with its motley mix of semantically inconsistent and non-interoperable visual modeling languages, which include UML, OMG SysML, and BPMN. Will 'M" make the OMG's alphabet soup of modeling languages taste better or worse? For a NY Times article about Oslo modeling languages click here. To check out Microsoft's Oslo Developer Center directly click here.

October 15, 2008 – OMG Board of Directors Votes to Adopt UML 2.2 and OMG SysML 1.1 Revisions.
The Object Management Group (OMG) Board of Directors met in Orlando, Florida during the week of 22-26 September 2008 to approve nine new and and revised specifications. Among the revised specifications they voted to adopt were UML 2.2 and OMG SysML 1.1. You can download convenience documents for the UML 2.2 and OMG SysML 1.1 revisions using links found on the Specification pages of the UML Forum and SysML Forum, respectively. For the full OMG press release click here.

September 10, 2008 - UML Beats DSLs to Model-Driven Development Punch?: Microsoft Joins OMG.
Microsoft today outlined its approach for incorporating modeling into mainstream computing and announced that it is joining the Object Management Group (OMG),  the standards body responsible for defining the UML and BPMN modeling languages. "We're building modeling in as a core part of the platform," said Bob Muglia, senior vice president, Server and Tools Business at Microsoft. Does this mean that Microsoft is abandoning its Domain Specific Language (DSL) modeling strategy in favor of a General Purpose Language (GPL) modeling standard, or is this just Muddle Driven Marketecture hype? For the text of Microsoft's press release click here. For a video of Bob Muglia discussing Microsoft's approach to modeling click here.