Pushing the boundaries of planned reuse with concern specific modelling languages

Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) reduces complexity, improves Separation of Concerns and promotes reuse by structuring software development as a process of model production and refinement. A representative methodology is Concern-Oriented Reuse (CORE), an Aspect-Oriented Modelling (AOM) derivative that sets on partial models and model composition techniques to reach planned reuse. In CORE, proven solutions are bundled into concerns, reuse of which is then guided by a series of interfaces. CORE interfaces set on General Purpose Modelling Languages (GPML), therefore concern integration and reuse can be hindered by accidental complexity, arising out of a semantic mismatch between a concern's nature and GPML concepts. The established MDE answer to counter accidental complexity is Domain Specific Modelling Languages (DSML). However, it is unclear how DSMLs can be combined with partial model and model composition methodologies, and if such a combination could effectively redefine the boundaries of planned reuse. In this extended abstract I present findings on the nature of DSMLs, eligible for this combination and argue why they form a category on their own: Concern Specific Modelling Languages (CSML). I present a reliable framework for systematic integration of CSMLs into reusable concerns, and elaborate a representative novel concern. Finally, I describe experiments that allow measuring the effects of this novel concern on software design, implementation and planned reuse.