ABSTRACT
Models can take on many forms. The form chosen to represent the subject should reflect the underlying data structure, use a consistent style, and account for presentation of the end result. Over time, modelers in specific domains have developed standard model forms to facilitate model creation and to ensure a uniform notation and semantics. For example, hydraulic engineering uses a very different set of symbology and semantics (how the symbols are arranged and connected) compared to charts for ocean navigation. Each of these model forms, however, share similarities in the techniques used for model creation. Information is translated from the subject matter expert’s jargon and nomenclature, encoded into the model form’s notation, and mapped to the structural elements of the domain (the “things” that are manipulated), or the dynamic behavior of the system (the “actions” performed).
