PRIME - Toward process-integrated modeling environments

Research in process-centered environments (PCEs) has focused on project man agement support and has neglected method guidance for the engineers perform ing the (software) engineering process. It has been dominated by the search for suitable process-modeling languages and enactment mechanisms. The cons equences of process orientation on the computer-based engineering environme nts, i.e., the interactive tools used during process performance, have been studied much less. In this article, we present the PRIME (Process-Integrat ed Modeling Environments) framework which empowers method guidance through process-integrated tools. In contrast to the tools of PCEs, the process-int egrated tools of PRIME adjust their behavior according to the current proce ss situation and the method definitions. Process integration of PRIME tools is achieved through (1) the definition of tool models; (2) the integration of the tool models and the method definitions; (3) the interpretation of t he integrated environment model by the tools, the process-aware control int egration mechanism, and the enactment mechanism; and (4) the synchronizatio n of the tools and the enactment mechanism based on a comprehensive interac tion protocol. We sketch the implementation of PRIME as a reusable implemen tation framework which facilitates the realization of process-integrated to ols as well as the process integration of external tools. We define a six-s tep procedure for building a PRIME-based process-integrated environment (PI E) and illustrate how PRIME facilitates change integration on an easy-to-ad apt modeling level. Following the six-step procedure we have implemented tw o process-integrated environments (PRIME-CREWS and TECHMOD) which have been applied in small case studies.