Modelling Guidance in Software Engineering: A Systematic Literature Review

TL;DR

This systematic literature review examines the current state of modelling guidance in Software Engineering, highlighting fragmentation, inconsistent terminology, and the need for clearer definitions and empirical validation.

Contribution

It clarifies key concepts like modelling method, style, and guideline, and identifies gaps in empirical validation and consistency in modelling guidance research.

Findings

Research on modelling guidance is fragmented and inconsistent.

Lack of empirical validation in existing studies.

Provides clear definitions for modelling method, style, and guideline.

Abstract

Despite potential benefits in Software Engineering (SE), adoption of software modelling in industry is low. Technical issues such as tool support have gained significant research before, but individual guidance and training have received little attention. As a first step towards providing the necessary guidance in modelling, we conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) to explore the current state of the art. We searched academic literature for modelling guidance, and selected 25 papers for full-text screening through three rounds of selection. We find research on modelling guidance to be fragmented, with inconsistent usage of terminology, and a lack of empirical validation or supporting evidence. We outline the different dimensions commonly used to provide guidance on software modelling. Additionally, we provide definitions of the three terms modelling method, style, and guideline as current literature lacks a well-defined distinction between them. These definitions can help distinguishing between important concepts and provide precise modelling guidance.