Domain-Specific Business Modeling with the Business Model Developer

Abstract

Discussing business models of companies and organizations based on graphical representations that emphasize essential factors has increased in recent years, particularly from a business perspective. However, feasible implementations of business modeling tools are rare, as they tend to be domain specific but at the same time tailored towards the requirements of a heterogeneous group of stakeholders. We present the Business Model Developer (BMD) and the underlying framework for the creation of domain-specific business models. The approach relies on the definition of a domain-specific library of model components as well as structured parameters with different scopes, i.e. declared areas of applicability. This setup forms the basis for the development of custom techniques for model analysis. We align the development process with the approach of Extreme Model Driven Development (XMDD) to keep it as simple as possible for domain experts to contribute in tailoring the tool towards specific needs. Furthermore, we present a practical application in the healthcare domain, as the BMD has been developed and applied in the course of a joint project in the area of Personalized Medicine.