We will discuss a new approach to describe the overall architecture of a software system:

In software development projects it is necessary to find a common understanding of the architectural concept model. Concepts might be, for example, Business Objects, Services, or Forms. They provide the common "language" of the architects. To implement an adequate system architecture it is crucial for any software developer to share this "language".

Usually a class structure alone cannot provide enough strength of expression to represent a concept model, since concepts might include several classes and even other software artifacts. We are looking for a structure above the class level, which comprises and communicates the additional semantics of the concept model. We will discuss ontologies to describe this structure.

Ideally, the concepts themselves, their relations, hierarchies, and extension points, i.e. the ontology, should be detectable on source code level. We will examine modularization concepts and component models for implementation.

The workshop aims at the development of diverse solution approaches and at the launching of an ongoing discussion.

We invite people interested in ontologies or in information system architectures to meet and discuss synergy possibilities.

Papers serve as the basis for lively discussions. Please submit a one- to three-page paper describing your ideas on the explicit representation of the concept model in a software systems architecture.

The submissions can range from an example based on practical experiences to formal approaches.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Semantics of published APIs
• Use of ontologies for architectures
• Reification of architectures
• Enhancement of languages
• Modularization and ontologies
• Component models
• Frameworks
• Plug-in technologies

We intend to have up to 15 participants.

Please mail your submissions in PDF or PS to Petra Becker-Pechau: becker_at_informatik.uni-hamburg.de