MReBA 2015 - 2nd International Workshop on Conceptual Modeling in Requirements and Business Analysis (MReBA)

Requirements Engineering (RE) aims to capture the intended system functionality and qualities. Requirements are often explicitly captured in various types of conceptual models. Such models allow for sharing a collaborative perception of requirements, can facilitate analysis, and can transform towards design, specification, and code. In RE, particular emphasis as has been placed on modeling the intentions of users and systems, ensuring that the developed system meet the needs of users and is accepted as part of a complex social system.
In practice, requirements activities often fall under the heading of Business Analysis (BA), determining how a business can make use of technology in order to improve its operations, meet targets, and thrive in a competitive economy. Use of models in this context allows for an explicit consideration of business strategy, including requirements specifying how such strategies can be operationalized through socio-technical systems. Conceptualization and modeling of strategy often involves the notion of intentions, capturing and reasoning over business objectives. Conceptual modeling can be a core asset as part of a business intelligence initiative, using models to monitor and reason over the real-time achievement of business strategies.
The MREBA workshop aims to provide a forum for discussing the interplay between Requirements Engineering topics and conceptual modeling, and in particular how requirements modeling can be effectively used as part of business analysis and systems engineering. We ask: What are the fundamental objectives and premises of requirements engineering and conceptual modelling respectively, and how can they complement each other? What conceptual modelling techniques can be taken advantage of in requirements engineering? How can RE modeling be applied successfully in a business environment? What lessons are there to be learnt from industrial experiences? What empirical data are there to support the cost-benefit analysis when adopting RE modeling methods? Are there applications domains or types of project settings for RE/BA modeling approaches are particularly suitable or not? What degree of formalization and automation or interactivity are feasible and appropriate for what types of participants during RE/BA modeling?
Topics of Interest
Submissions should address the relation between Requirements Engineering and/or Business Analysis and conceptual modelling on the selected topic. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:
Modelling for Business Analysis and Business Intelligence
Motivations/Intentions as part of Enterprise Modelling
Goal-based Business Process Modelling
Modelling for process (re-)engineering or selection
Modelling and analysis of distributed systems
Modelling for Knowledge Management/Acquisition/Sharing
Modelling as part of collaborative RE/BA
Goal/Intention-Oriented Requirements Engineering (GORE)
Ontological perspectives on RE/BA models
RE/BA language interoperability, integration, transformation
Capturing laws, regulation, and compliance
Industrial or systems requirements modeling
Dealing with model uncertainty
Visual notation for RE/BA models
Analysis and reasoning, including decision support
Modelling security, privacy, risk, and safety
Capturing prioritization, customization and preferences
Modelling methodologies, processes, and methods
RE/BA model scalability, complexity, and modularity
Model feedback and validation
Industrial experiences and empirical studies related to RE/BA modelling
Barriers to adoption of RE/BA modelling techniques
Format and Duration
We aim for a highly interactive forum. The intended workshop duration is three sessions (1.5 hours each), including at least one session of paper presentations and discussions. We intend to include a keynote and, depending on the number of accepted papers, a panel or interactive session.