Model Driven Architecture (MDA)

Model Driven Architecture® (MDA®) offers an innovative way of developing applications and writing specifications. Created by the Object Management Group™ (OMG™, omg.org/mda), MDA provides an open approach to managing the challenge of business and technology change.

MDA is based on a platform-independent model (PIM) of an application's business functionality and behavior. A complete MDA application consists of a definitive platform-independent base model, plus one or more platform-specific models (PSM) and complete implementations, one on each platform that the application developer decides to support.

MDA development focuses first on the functionality and behavior of a distributed application or system, undistorted by nuances of the technology platforms on which it will be implemented. In this way, MDA divorces implementation details from business functions. Thus, it is not necessary to repeat the process of defining an application or system's functionality and behavior each time a new underlying technology or platform is available. Other architectures are generally tied to a particular technology. With MDA, functionality and behavior are modeled only once. Mapping from a PIM through a PSM to the supported platforms is being implemented by tools, easing the task of supporting changing technologies.

IBM has incorporated MDA principles and technology into its Telelogic® Tau® and Telelogic® Rhapsody® UML 2.0 and SysML-based modeling products. Telelogic Tau and Telelogic Rhapsody solutions offer systems engineers and software engineers developers a full PIM-based approach that can support a project from early inception and requirements definition through to final platform design, testing, and product launch.