Is Traditional Conceptual Modeling Going to Become Obsolete?

Traditionally, the research and practice of conceptual modeling assumed relevant information about a domain is determined in advance to be used as input to design. The increasing ubiquity of systems – characterized by heterogeneous and transient users, customizable features, and open or extensible data standards – challenges a number of long-held propositions about conceptual modeling. We raise the question whether conceptual modeling as commonly understood is an impediment to systems development and should be phased out. We discuss the motivation for rethinking approaches to conceptual modeling, consider traditional approaches to conceptual modeling and provide empirical evidence of the limitations of traditional conceptual modeling. We then propose three directions for future conceptual modeling research.