Visual modeling: Difference between revisions

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'''Visual modeling''' is the graphic representation of objects and systems of interest using graphical languages. Visual modeling languages may be [[General-Purpose Modeling]] (GPM) languages (e.g., UML) or [[Domain-Specific Modeling]] (DSM) languages (e.g., SysML). They include industry open standards (e.g., [[Unified Modeling Language|UML]], [[SysML]]), as well as proprietary standards, such as the visual languages associated with [[MATLAB]]/[[Simulink]] and [[OPNET]]. Visual modeling languages are an area of active research that continues to evolve, as evidenced by increasing interest in DSM languages, visual [[requirements]], and visual [[OWL]].<ref name="faq">{{cite web|author=|title=Visual Modeling FAQ|url=http://www.visualmodeling.com/faq.htm|accessdate=2007-02-07}}</ref>

'''Visual modeling''' is practice of representing a system graphically. The result, a visual model, can provide an artifact that describes a complex system in a way that can be understood by experts and novices alike. Via visual models, complex ideas are not held to human limitations; allowing for greater complexity without a loss of comprehension.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Quatrani |first1=Terry |title=Introduction to Visual Modeling with Rational Rose 2002 and UML |url=http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=30432 |website=informit.com |publisher=informit |access-date=1 December 2019}}</ref> Visual modeling can also be used to bring a group to a consensus. Models help effectively communicate ideas among designers, allowing for quicker discussion and an eventual consensus.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Simons |first1=Gary |title=Conceptual Modeling versus Visual Modeling: A Technological Key to Building Consensus |journal=Computers and the Humanities |date=1996–1997 |volume=30 |issue=4 |page=305|doi=10.1007/BF00115139 }}</ref>

== References ==

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Notable [[modeling language]]s include industry open standards such as [[Unified Modeling Language |UML]], [[SysML]], [[Modelica]], and proprietary languages, such as those associated with [[VisSim]], [[MATLAB]] and [[Simulink]], [[OPNET]], NetSim, [[NI Multisim]], and [[Reactive Blocks]]. Both VisSim and Reactive Blocks provide a royalty-free, downloadable viewer that lets anyone open and interactively simulate their models. The community edition of Reactive Blocks also allows full editing of the models as well as compilation, as long as the work is published under the [[Eclipse Public License]].

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Visual modeling languages may be [[general-purpose modeling]] (GPM), such as UML, Southbeach Notation, [[IDEF]], or [[___domain-specific modeling]] (DSM) such as SysML. The development of visual modeling languages is an area of active research as evidenced by increasing interest in DSM languages, visual [[requirements]], and visual OWL ([[Web Ontology Language]]).<ref name="faq">{{cite web|title=Visual OWL|url=http://www.visualmodeling.com/VisualOWL.htm}}</ref>

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Visual modeling had no standards before the 1990's, and was incomparable until the introduction of the UML.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Watson |first1=Andrew |title=Visual Modelling: past, present and future |url=https://www.uml.org/Visual_Modeling.pdf |website=uml.org |publisher=UML |access-date=1 December 2019}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Service-oriented modeling]]

*[[Domain-Specific Modeling]] DSM

* [[Model-driven Driven Engineeringengineering]] MDE

== References ==

{{reflist}}

==External links==

*[http://www.VisualModelingForum.com Visual Modeling Forum] A web community dedicated to visual modeling languages and tools.

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*[http://www.cs.ucla.edu/~dt/vms-text.html Visual Modeling Showcase] Examples of visual modeling research.

[[Category:Programming language topics]]

[[Category:Unified Modeling Language]]

[[Category:Simulation programming languages]]

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