Information modelling: foundation, abstraction mechanisms and approach

This paper briefly presents a new information modelling methodology useful as an information systems development approach. The methodology is based on a set of fundamental abstraction mechanisms, which provide the means for modelling on a number of abstraction levels and, on the highest levels, the most invariant components and structures of the information model can be identified and defined. It is also based on the object-oriented paradigm, which is applied in harmony with the abstraction mechanisms. The methodology introduces an alternative to the traditional entity-relationship technique with respect to modelling of information and on this basis it can support efforts to construct reusable, extensible and reliable information systems. 1 Information Modelling as the Basis for Information Systems Development Fundamentally, an information system is developed by creating an object base and a set of user interfaces. The object base contains the persistent information objects and the user interfaces provide the functionality, which can be operated by the users of the information system. For development of information systems, some different kinds of software tools are now available to support the development activities. With some tools, information systems are developed through a modelling process by creating and manipulating information system models from which the resulting system can Information System Object Base Information Model User Interfaces Function Model Target System Model