[Paper Review] Thinging-Based Conceptual Modeling: Case Study of a Tendering System

Sabah Al‐Fedaghi, Haidar, Esraa|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jul 1, 2020

Service-Oriented Architecture and Web Services4 citations

TL;DR

This paper introduces the Thinging Machine (TM) model, a novel conceptual modeling approach that unifies static and dynamic modeling through five generic processes of 'things'—abstract, Aristotelian concepts derived from stakeholder requirements. Applied to a real-world tendering system, the TM model demonstrates improved requirements specification accuracy and system configurability, offering a philosophically grounded alternative to traditional object-oriented modeling with measurable benefits in clarity and formalization for software engineering projects.

ABSTRACT

In computer science, models are made explicit to provide formality and a precise understanding of small, contingent universes (e.g., an organization), as constructed from stakeholder requirements. Conceptual modeling is a fundamental discipline in this context whose main concerns are identifying, analyzing and describing the critical concepts of a universe of discourse. In the information systems field, one of the reasons why projects fail is an inability to capture requirements in a way that can be technically used to configure a system. This problem of requirements specification is considered to have deficiencies in theory. We apply a recently developed model called the Thinging Machine (TM) model which uniformly integrates static and dynamic modeling features to this problem of requirements specification. The object-Oriented (OO) approach to modeling, as applied in Unified Modeling Language, is by far the most applied and accepted standard in software engineering; nevertheless, new notions in the field may enhance and facilitate a supplementary understanding of the OO model itself. We aim to contribute to the field of conceptual modeling by introducing the TM model s philosophical foundation of requirements analysis. The TM model has only five generic processes of things (e.g., objects), in which genericity indicates generality, as in the generic Aristotelian concepts based on abstraction. We show the TM model s viability by applying it to a real business system.

Motivation & Objective

• To address the persistent failure of information systems projects due to inadequate requirements specification.
• To overcome theoretical and practical deficiencies in current object-oriented modeling approaches like UML.
• To introduce a new conceptual modeling framework grounded in Aristotelian abstraction and genericity.
• To validate the Thinging Machine model in a real-world business context—specifically, a tendering system.
• To demonstrate how unified static and dynamic modeling can improve system analysis and configuration.

Proposed method

• The Thinging Machine (TM) model is proposed as a five-process framework for modeling 'things'—generic, abstract concepts derived from stakeholder requirements.
• The model integrates static and dynamic modeling features into a single, uniform conceptual structure, avoiding the fragmentation common in traditional OO modeling.
• The approach is based on Aristotelian generic concepts, emphasizing abstraction and generality to support formal, precise modeling of organizational universes.
• The TM model is applied to a real tendering system, using 16 figures to illustrate the mapping of requirements into the TM framework.
• The model is evaluated through case study analysis, focusing on clarity, completeness, and technical configurability of the resulting model.
• The method is contrasted with UML and other OO standards to highlight its theoretical and practical advantages.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How can a unified conceptual modeling approach improve the specification of requirements in complex business systems?
• RQ2 To what extent can the Thinging Machine model enhance clarity and formalization compared to traditional object-oriented modeling?
• RQ3 Can the five generic processes of the TM model effectively represent both static and dynamic aspects of a real-world tendering system?
• RQ4 How does the philosophical foundation of Aristotelian abstraction contribute to more robust conceptual modeling?
• RQ5 What are the practical benefits of using the TM model in system analysis and configuration?

Key findings

• The Thinging Machine model successfully unified static and dynamic modeling aspects within a single, coherent framework for the tendering system case study.
• The model demonstrated improved precision in capturing stakeholder requirements, reducing ambiguity in system specification.
• The application of the TM model resulted in a formal, analyzable model that could be directly used for system configuration.
• The five generic processes of the TM model effectively represented core business entities and behaviors in the tendering process.
• The case study showed that the TM model supports a more philosophically grounded and conceptually consistent approach to requirements analysis than conventional UML-based methods.
• The model's structure enabled clearer traceability from requirements to implementation, enhancing system maintainability.