Appropriateness of the Activity-centred Graphs in Information System Modelling

We emphasize some abilities of a representation formalism, called activity-centred graphs (ACGs), in complex information system modelling. Derived fromthe conceptual graph formalism, ACGs offer linguistic, structured and logically consistent means for concept and process representation. They respond to two main conclusions: 1) natural language is the ideal metamodel, able to master the heterogeneity of the existing data/knowledge/process models and 2) a structured and logic-based language is needed to master the complexity of the today’s information systems. ACG linguistic features are integrated with techniques like declarative and procedural structuring, modularity and encapsulation. As complex inferences and knowledge retrieval technique, we define the thematic views over ACGs and exemplify them for an event detection case. We also motivate the ACGs 1) for their unifying role relative to the data, functional and control perspectives of the information systems, 2) for their contribution in supervising the concept and process interoperability, 3) for their impact in code and repository reusability.