Analyzing Engineering Contributions using a Specialized Concept Map

Identifying open problems in an engineering domain is a first step towards making new contributions. To identify problems one often examines existing solutions to recognize opportunities for advances. As the knowledge in a domain grows and multiplies, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep track of advances made, especially in relation to evolving needs. Drawing from goaloriented requirements engineering, we propose a specialized use of concept maps to map out contributions to problem-solving knowledge in an engineering domain. We illustrate the approach using the domain of Architecture Description Languages (ADLs) and discuss usefulness and usability of the specialized concept map.