Abstract:
For the development of Web systems to be effective, we need to consider two aspects of technical
architecture: the information architecture and the functional architecture. Web modelling languages, used
in the development of these systems need to be able to capture and communicate both these aspects.
Specifically, a WML must provide sophisticated functions to facilitate the understanding, specification,
documentation, visualisation, communication and construction of important architectural, detailed design
and implementation decisions. In this paper, we identify the requirements for WMLs for these elements
and, using this proposed requirements framework, evaluate six of the leading WMLs. We conclude that a
number of gaps exist in existing modelling approaches, particular with regard to the level of support for
modelling of: the link between information and functional designs, primarily at the architectural level;
abstractions, particularly with regard to linking detailed information designs to information architectures;
and the connections between business models and the system designs.
