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The Interactive Model Architecture approach is the result of a short software research project at Cap Volmac (Netherlands) [1] in 1995. This project was done by 3 persons and stopped after 5 months for budgetary reasons.
Though the project results were never published, the contents obviously were a result of the time. The first Internet sites, based on similar concepts, appeared. One of the earlier ones was the Egg Bank site (in it's original version). Nowadays, almost any sites use active or passive links to distributed Business Services from anywhere on the web. So does this site where a visit counter is used from somewhere. It's never been the aim of the IMA project to support this kind of architecture with a software toolkit. The first aim was to prove that the concept of Business Service Providing is feasible and logically correct. The second aim to provide Business and Information System Analysis with a far more flexible paradigm than common for software solutions in administrative environments, at least in Europe. A paradigm that is based on business event analysis, instead of persistent data analysis.
In 2003 I stopped my professional career at Cap Gemini [1]. Since then I spend my time as “unemployed” person living in the country. So I got all time in the world to pick up the pieces of my former project and see if I can still understand what I've done. This new version of the IMA site is the result of my first studies on the old project. I have tried to understand any whats and whys and, most important, I documented the thing!
The “State of the Art”
De “Description” part of this web site contains a description of the Interactive Model Architecture approach dated 1996. It's based on the version PROTO-5 (1995).
In 2004 I decided to pick-up the bits and pieces of version PROTO-6 (1995), moved it to VisualAge 6.0 and documented the beast. I called it PROTO-6.0.0 (2004). The results formed the basis for the “Technical Documentation” part of this web site.
Since then, I created a new version PROTO-6.1.0. This version includes:
  • Implementation of a message pop-up facility in the Interface;
  • Use of these pop-ups to warn a Task's Interface when an outside interrupt occurs, specificly for Work Flow Management interventions;
  • Implementation of multi-task Workorders;
  • Implementation of conditional Action Activities;
  • Creation of a Work Flow Management Task: to change the Workorder sequence of any Resource's Workorder Queue, to create a new Workorder in any Resource's Workorder Queue, to delete Workorders from any Resource's Workorder Queue;
  • Add a Kill Interface action to the Interface Task;
  • Implementation of an internal clock tick generator in the Backbone;
  • Creation of a Clock (ResourceType definition, UserType definition, Workorder/Process definition and Interface definition);
  • Extension of a Computer with time-delayed Process Tasks: query and update data at any Process' side, retrieve and store at the Computer's Process side (this includes complex Workorder definition and time-delay implementation) (wasa planned, but is delayed to a next version of the IMA model);
The “Technical Documentation” part of this Interactive Model Architecture site is updated with the results of PROTO-6.1.0.
Introduction
Interactive Model Architecture is a new approach for the design of flexible, business wide supporting, Information Systems. It supports the primary data processes as well as document-handling, workflow management and many others. The concept is basically founded on the working together of all these aspects on an interactive (this is mutually influencing) basis.
The approach is based upon the Integrated Object Modelling (IOM) [2] method and a result of the VSR [3] Yucca research project and the Cap Volmac [1] Casco Services and Business Modelling development projects.
On this site you will find references to many reports on the IMA approach.
The following reports are provided:
The following technical documentation is provided:
Descriptions overview
Interactive Model Architecture
An overall view on the IMA approach.
Reconstructing a Process
A short overview of the Model basics.
Some Interesting Sample Aspect Servers
The Aspect Servers as defined in the Model prototype version 6 (1995).
Illustrations
A short demonstration on how the Model looks and feels.
Technical documentation overview
Model Setup
The statical part of the IMA Model.
Running an Engine
How the dynamical part of the IMA Model is facilitated by the statical part.
Task Processing
The dynamical part of the IMA Model, specifically how an Engine processes when performing a given Task.
Events and Actions
The Actions, defined in all Processes within PROTO610.
Business Aspect generic structure
The server side of the IMA Model. It handles about those aspects, that are derived from the Model and placed elsewhere, in independant Business Service providing Business Aspect Servers.
Business Aspect Object relationship models
The internal structures of the different Business Aspect Servers within PROTO610.
Work Order Process definitions
The "contents" of the Business Aspect Server "Process Control" in PROTO610.
Literature
  • Agha, G., “Actors: a model of concurrent computation in distributed systems”. Technical Report 844, MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, 1985.
  • Goedvolk, J.G. en Ramackers, G.J., “Computers en Netwerken; een nieuw systeemmodel”. Vleermuis Journal of Software Research, jaargang 1, nr.0, pp. 47-62, april 1989.
  • Goedvolk, J.G. en Ramackers, G.J., “SYSTEMEN uit CHAOS, een wetenschappelijke revolutie?”. Vleermuis Journal of Software Research, jaargang 1, nr.2, pp. 107-127, juli 1989.
  • Prigogine, I. and Stengers, I., “Order out of Chaos. Man's new dialogue with nature”. Bantam Books Inc., 1984.
  • Ramackers, G.J. and Verrijn-Stuart, A.A., “First and second order dynamics in information systems”. Vleermuis Journal of Software Research, jaargang 2, nr.1, pp. 60-67, juli 1990.
  • Winograd, T. and Flores, F., “Understanding Computers and Cognition, a New Foundation for Design”. Ablex Publishing Corp., 1986.
  • Ramackers, G.J., “Integrated Object Modelling”, thesis at Leiden University, Thesis Publishers Amsterdam, 1994.
And finally .....
There is no truth or reality
but only aspects and interpretations.
Fredrik D. Alink (1-10-2004)
Notes:
[1] (Dutch branch of) the Cap Gemini Ernst & Young IT and Consultancy company
[2] Ramackers, Guus J.: Integrated Object Modelling, thesis at Leiden University, Thesis Publishers Amsterdam 1994
[3] Vleermuis Software Research, a research company of the Dutch Volmac IT company
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