Since the i* (i-star) framework was adopted by the requirements engineering community, different groups have formulated variations of the language proposed therein with the purpose of adapting the framework to the specific needs of its users. Whilst this flexibility is helpful from many perspectives, it poses some challenges, remarkably the difficulty of sharing a common model knowledge base, and tool incompatibility. In earlier works, we have formulated the iStarML interchange format as a mediator between these different variations. In this paper, we present a particular experience we have carried out, namely the interconnection of two existing tools, jUCMNav and HiME. We have provided the adequate mappings to transform models that correspond to the two metamodels adopted by these tools, we have identified the conflicting cases in the transformation, and we have implemented the mapping as import/export facilities in the tools. This case has not just an intrinsic value as proof of concept (i.e., the ability of these two tools to interchange models) but also sets the basis for a general solution to the i* tool interoperability problem.
Keywords: i* framework; istar; i-star; model interchange; semantic interoperability; tool interoperability; iStarML; jUCMNav; HiME
@inproceedings{wer201110,
author = {Colomer, D. and López, L. and Cares, C. and Franch, X.},
title = {Model Interchange and Tool Interoperability in the i* Framework: A Proof of Concept},
booktitle = {Anais do Workshop em Engenharia de Requisitos - Proceedings of the 14th Workshop on Requirements Engineering (WER2011)},
year = {2011},
issn = {2675-0066},
isbn = {978-85-8006-032-4},
doi = {}
}