Conceptual predesign bridging the gap between requirements and conceptual design

To overcome the impedance mismatch between requirement analysis and conceptual design, we introduce an intermediate step between the two phases, called conceptual pre-design. A (semantic) model for that phase should allow for an easy collection of requirements as well as for an unproblematic transformation of the collected requirements into entries of a conceptual scheme. We present a model that has been developed along these postulates. Following the classical DATA-ID approach, this model uses a "glossary metaphor" for scheme representation. It's basic semantic notions are 'thing type' and 'connection type'.