Agilit{\'e} de d{\'e}veloppement des SI informatis{\'e}s et outils MDE : d{\'e}marche p{\'e}dagogique dans un cours de conception de syst{\`e}mes d'information informatis{\'e}s

TL;DR

This paper presents a pedagogical approach using Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) to teach students how formal specifications can automate code generation, enhancing software development agility and understanding of MDE benefits.

Contribution

It introduces an extended conceptual data modeling method and a transformer tool to demonstrate automatic code updates from model changes in an educational setting.

Findings

Students understand the benefits of MDE tools more easily.

The approach shows that source code can be automatically updated through model changes.

The method promotes awareness of agility in software development.

Abstract

In software development, business rules implemented by hand using programming code hinder agility of companies. Are our students in information systems aware of that? Do our lessons promote this realization ? We use model driven concepts (MDA, MDE) in order to demonstrate, with practical examples, that source code can be automatically generated as far as formal specification are sufficient and accurate. We have extended usual representation conventions of conceptual data modeling and developed a transformer tool. This make our students observing themselves that no source code need necessarily to be rewrite when a change of business rule occurs, but just an adaptation of the model and a new run of generation of code. In this way, they finally understand more easily the benefits of MDE tools.