Santiago Melia - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Santiago Melia

2018 13th Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (CISTI), 2018

The identification of the personality traits of software developers is very important to perform ... more The identification of the personality traits of software developers is very important to perform teamwork and achieve the objectives set. The characteristics of the individuals with respect to the different personality factors influence the way in which the different tasks that make up a specific methodology are carried out, such as the creation of a domain model in a Software Engineering project. In the present work we present the results of an empirical study that evaluates the relationship between the different personality factors and the perception regarding the advantages and disadvantages of using a Model — Driven Engineering (MDE) approach. In order to determine personality traits, we have used the PEN model, corresponding to the Eysenck's personality theory. Based on this model, we have used a set of questionnaires to identify (a) the levels of Psychoticism (P), Extraversion (E) and Neuroticism (N) of the subjects and (b) their subjective perception regarding the use of ...

The new challenges posed by the Internet market have increased the need for Web Applications that... more The new challenges posed by the Internet market have increased the need for Web Applications that require more development efforts and guarantee a higher quality level. In order to contribute to this goal, in this position paper we present a new proposal called WebSA which proposes the inclusion of a software architecture models to complement the specification of Web Applications. This strategy, together with the definition of the different models following the MDA standard provides the proposal with the necessary mechanisms to (1) improve the pace at which Web Applications are developed, (2) ease its integration with other systems and (3) cutting off the web application development cost.

IEEE Access

Today's digital society has turned the development of students' computational thinking capabiliti... more Today's digital society has turned the development of students' computational thinking capabilities into a critical factor for their future success. As higher education institutions, we need to take responsibility for this development in every degree course we offer, and provide students with the kind of subjects and activities that best contribute to this aim. In this paper, we study the impact of following an introductory programming course on the development of the computational thinking capabilities of university students. In order to achieve this aim, a concurrent cohort observational study was carried out in which we measured both the subjective and objective computational thinking capabilities of 104 participants (50 first year students enrolled on a Bachelor's degree course in Psychology at the Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM), and 54 first year students enrolled on a Bachelor's degree course in Health Information Systems at the University of Alicante (UA)). The statistical procedures applied to test our hypotheses were a two-way mixed ANOVA, a paired-sample T-test and an independent-sample T-test. The data shows that the group at UA had an initial higher subjective perception of their computational capabilities than the group at UCAM. This perception was supported by their objective scores, which were also significantly higher. However, the subjective assessment of computational capability of the UA group diminished after exposure to the programming course, contrasting with the fact that their objective computational capabilities improved significantly. In the UCAM group, both subjective and objective capabilities remained constant over time. Based on these results, we can conclude that computational thinking capabilities are not developed naturally, but need to be trained. Providing such training to all our students, and not only to those enrolled on undergraduate degrees in engineering, is of paramount importance to allow them to face the challenges of their future professions. This paper empirically demonstrates the extent to which exposing subjects to a programming course may contribute to this aim.

A method for treating a water containing waste such as industrial sludges and animal excrements. ... more A method for treating a water containing waste such as industrial sludges and animal excrements. The method comprises a first step of mixing the waste with an alkaline earth metal oxide such as calcium oxide to obtain a preliminarily dried mixture and a second step of further drying and granulation of the mixture. Fuel consumption is saved by utilization of the exothermic reaction of an alkaline earth metal oxide with water contained in the waste. The waste may be converted by the method to usable products such as fertilizers, cement materials or cement additives.

Web engineering research community has proposed several web design methods that have proven succe... more Web engineering research community has proposed several web design methods that have proven successful for the specification of the functional and navigational requirements posed by Web information systems. However, the architectural features are often ignored in the design process. This situation causes Web applications with rigid and predefined architectures depending on the Web design method the designer is applying. To overcome this limitation, we propose a generic approach called WebSA. WebSA is based on the MDA (Model-driven Architecture) paradigm. It proposes a Model Driven Development made up of a set of UML architectural models and QVT transformations as a mechanism to integrate the functional aspects of the current methodologies with the architectural aspects. In this paper, we apply WebSA with the OO-H method using as a running example the Travel Agency specification.

Resumen. En la Web 2.0, actualmente existe un problema de interoperabilidad cuando se intenta con... more Resumen. En la Web 2.0, actualmente existe un problema de interoperabilidad cuando se intenta conectar y transmitir datos entre diferentes aplicaciones enriquecidas de internet (RIA), o entre RIAs y fuentes de datos. Este hecho dificulta la reutilización de información entre diferentes fuentes de datos y en algunos casos hace que esta información quede "inmovilizada" o no reusable para otros sistemas. Cuando el valor de negocio recae en los datos y no en la aplicación, como ocurre en el entorno actual, es importante que la información fluya sin impedimentos y para ello las tecnologías de la Web semántica pueden ser clave en la solución. En concreto, este artículo presenta una solución desde la perspectiva de la metodología de diseño dirigida por modelos S m 4RIA, empleada en el desarrollo de RIAs semánticas. Como caso de estudio, se aborda el modelado de una red social en el dominio de la música. Esta aproximación combina las principales ventajas presentes en las tecnologí...

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2005

Current Web generation techniques are mainly hard-coded for predefined architectures of Web appli... more Current Web generation techniques are mainly hard-coded for predefined architectures of Web applications. Consequently, there is a gap between Web design models and the final implementation. We solve this problem, following with our approach the Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) principles of automatic generation of software systems based on model transformations. In this context, we present a transformation process and propose a visual and textual specification for the transformations using the forthcoming OMG standard Query /Views/ Transformations (QVT). Our proposal is illustrated by transformations involving elements of the UML-based Web Engineering (UWE) metamodel and the WebSA metamodel, showing this way how both approaches are integrated.

Propuestas basadas en el Desarrollo Dirigido por Modelos para Aplicaciones Web 41 2.4.1 Model-Dri... more Propuestas basadas en el Desarrollo Dirigido por Modelos para Aplicaciones Web 41 2.4.1 Model-Driven Development of Large-Scale Web Applications 2.4.2 MIDAS 2.4.3 Model-Driven Development Process for UWE 2.4.4 Consistent and Adaptable W2000 Models 2.4.5 Comparativa de las propuestas MDE para el desarrollo Web 2.5

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2012

BACKGROUND: Model-Driven Engineering claims a positive impact on software productivity and satisf... more BACKGROUND: Model-Driven Engineering claims a positive impact on software productivity and satisfaction. However, few efforts have been made to collect evidences that assess its true benefits and limitations. OBJECTIVE: To compare the productivity and satisfaction of junior Web developers during the development of the business layer of a Web 2.0 Application when using either a code-centric, a model-based (UML) or a Model-Driven Engineering approach (OOH4RIA). RESEARCH METHOD: We designed a full factorial, intra-subject experiment in which 26 subjects, divided into five groups, were asked to develop the same three modules of a Web application, each one using a different method. We measured their productivity and satisfaction with each approach. RESULTS: The use of Model-Driven Engineering practices seems to significantly increase both productivity and satisfaction of junior Web developers, regardless of the particular application. However, modeling activities that are not accompanied by a strong generation environment make productivity and satisfaction decrease below code-centric practices. Further experimentation is needed to be able to generalize the results to a different population, different languages and tools, different domains and different application sizes.

International Journal of Systems and Service-Oriented Engineering, 2011

Current Web 2.0 applications, either social sites or Rich Internet Applications, share several pr... more Current Web 2.0 applications, either social sites or Rich Internet Applications, share several problems of interoperability when interconnecting different systems. It is therefore complicated to reuse (or export) the information between sources. In this context, where the value belongs to the data, not the application, the use of Semantic Web technologies opens a way of resolution with mature and standard technologies, thus leading to the Web 3.0. This paper presents the application of Sm4RIA (Semantic Models for RIA), a model-driven design methodology that facilitates the development of semantic RIAs (SRIA), to the design of social network sites. The SRIA approach introduced herein combines the main advantages present in each of the current trends on the Web. In addition to these benefits, the application of a model-driven methodology can speed up the development process and simplify the reuse of external sources of knowledge.

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2005

Nowadays, the maturity reached by the Web engineering research community can be assessed by the m... more Nowadays, the maturity reached by the Web engineering research community can be assessed by the myriad of web design methods that have proven successful for the specification of the functional and navigational requirements posed by Web information systems. However, these proposals often fail to address architectural features, which results in Web specifications with rigid architectures, with no regard for their actual circumstances of use. To overcome this limitation, we propose a generic approach called WebSA. WebSA is based on the MDA (Model-driven Architecture) paradigm. It proposes a Model Driven Development made up of a set of UML architectural models and QVT transformations as mechanisms to integrate the functional aspects of the current methodologies with the architectural aspects. In order to illustrate our approach, in this paper we combine WebSA with the OO-H method to tackle the design of the well known J2EE Petstore specification. * This research has been partially sponsored by t the Spanish METASIGN (TIN2004-00779).

Abstract. RESTful Web services have opened the door to clients to use Web sites in ways the origi... more Abstract. RESTful Web services have opened the door to clients to use Web sites in ways the original designers never imagined giving rise to the mashup phenomenon. The main advantage of the model based approach in Web engi-neering is that the models specify sort of ...

Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), 2008

In the last few years, almost all model-driven Web Engineering approaches have evolved in respons... more In the last few years, almost all model-driven Web Engineering approaches have evolved in response to the new challenges of Web systems design, which are due to new requirements and implementation technologies in the Web domain. The evolution implies the extension and adaptation of current approaches, in terms of new models, transformations and processes in order to incorporate new concerns or aspects. Such changes in a methodology are a risky and error-prone process. In this paper, we analyze different alternatives to address the evolution and in particular, the addition of a new concern in a Model-Driven Web Engineering approach: (a) extending the original method with an additional modeling concern, (b) merging the original proposal with another approach covering the specific concern and, (c) finally, we propose a an interoperable and architectural-centric approach that aims to reduce the impact of adding a new concern. We discuss the main advantages and drawbacks of each alternative.

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2007

Transformations are of crucial importance for the success of Model-Driven Web Engineering (MDWE) ... more Transformations are of crucial importance for the success of Model-Driven Web Engineering (MDWE) approaches. Therefore, we need transformation engines to improve and obtain the results of the different approaches. However, very few model-driven Web approaches provide a transformation tool which would allow them to obtain an implementation from their models. In this paper, we present a tool called WebTE (WebSA Transformation Engine) which is able to introduce all the input artefacts of the WebSA approach and to establish a refining process based on model-to-model and model-to-text transformations which gives us the final implementation of a Web application.

2018 13th Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (CISTI), 2018

The identification of the personality traits of software developers is very important to perform ... more The identification of the personality traits of software developers is very important to perform teamwork and achieve the objectives set. The characteristics of the individuals with respect to the different personality factors influence the way in which the different tasks that make up a specific methodology are carried out, such as the creation of a domain model in a Software Engineering project. In the present work we present the results of an empirical study that evaluates the relationship between the different personality factors and the perception regarding the advantages and disadvantages of using a Model — Driven Engineering (MDE) approach. In order to determine personality traits, we have used the PEN model, corresponding to the Eysenck's personality theory. Based on this model, we have used a set of questionnaires to identify (a) the levels of Psychoticism (P), Extraversion (E) and Neuroticism (N) of the subjects and (b) their subjective perception regarding the use of ...

The new challenges posed by the Internet market have increased the need for Web Applications that... more The new challenges posed by the Internet market have increased the need for Web Applications that require more development efforts and guarantee a higher quality level. In order to contribute to this goal, in this position paper we present a new proposal called WebSA which proposes the inclusion of a software architecture models to complement the specification of Web Applications. This strategy, together with the definition of the different models following the MDA standard provides the proposal with the necessary mechanisms to (1) improve the pace at which Web Applications are developed, (2) ease its integration with other systems and (3) cutting off the web application development cost.

IEEE Access

Today's digital society has turned the development of students' computational thinking capabiliti... more Today's digital society has turned the development of students' computational thinking capabilities into a critical factor for their future success. As higher education institutions, we need to take responsibility for this development in every degree course we offer, and provide students with the kind of subjects and activities that best contribute to this aim. In this paper, we study the impact of following an introductory programming course on the development of the computational thinking capabilities of university students. In order to achieve this aim, a concurrent cohort observational study was carried out in which we measured both the subjective and objective computational thinking capabilities of 104 participants (50 first year students enrolled on a Bachelor's degree course in Psychology at the Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM), and 54 first year students enrolled on a Bachelor's degree course in Health Information Systems at the University of Alicante (UA)). The statistical procedures applied to test our hypotheses were a two-way mixed ANOVA, a paired-sample T-test and an independent-sample T-test. The data shows that the group at UA had an initial higher subjective perception of their computational capabilities than the group at UCAM. This perception was supported by their objective scores, which were also significantly higher. However, the subjective assessment of computational capability of the UA group diminished after exposure to the programming course, contrasting with the fact that their objective computational capabilities improved significantly. In the UCAM group, both subjective and objective capabilities remained constant over time. Based on these results, we can conclude that computational thinking capabilities are not developed naturally, but need to be trained. Providing such training to all our students, and not only to those enrolled on undergraduate degrees in engineering, is of paramount importance to allow them to face the challenges of their future professions. This paper empirically demonstrates the extent to which exposing subjects to a programming course may contribute to this aim.

A method for treating a water containing waste such as industrial sludges and animal excrements. ... more A method for treating a water containing waste such as industrial sludges and animal excrements. The method comprises a first step of mixing the waste with an alkaline earth metal oxide such as calcium oxide to obtain a preliminarily dried mixture and a second step of further drying and granulation of the mixture. Fuel consumption is saved by utilization of the exothermic reaction of an alkaline earth metal oxide with water contained in the waste. The waste may be converted by the method to usable products such as fertilizers, cement materials or cement additives.

Web engineering research community has proposed several web design methods that have proven succe... more Web engineering research community has proposed several web design methods that have proven successful for the specification of the functional and navigational requirements posed by Web information systems. However, the architectural features are often ignored in the design process. This situation causes Web applications with rigid and predefined architectures depending on the Web design method the designer is applying. To overcome this limitation, we propose a generic approach called WebSA. WebSA is based on the MDA (Model-driven Architecture) paradigm. It proposes a Model Driven Development made up of a set of UML architectural models and QVT transformations as a mechanism to integrate the functional aspects of the current methodologies with the architectural aspects. In this paper, we apply WebSA with the OO-H method using as a running example the Travel Agency specification.

Resumen. En la Web 2.0, actualmente existe un problema de interoperabilidad cuando se intenta con... more Resumen. En la Web 2.0, actualmente existe un problema de interoperabilidad cuando se intenta conectar y transmitir datos entre diferentes aplicaciones enriquecidas de internet (RIA), o entre RIAs y fuentes de datos. Este hecho dificulta la reutilización de información entre diferentes fuentes de datos y en algunos casos hace que esta información quede "inmovilizada" o no reusable para otros sistemas. Cuando el valor de negocio recae en los datos y no en la aplicación, como ocurre en el entorno actual, es importante que la información fluya sin impedimentos y para ello las tecnologías de la Web semántica pueden ser clave en la solución. En concreto, este artículo presenta una solución desde la perspectiva de la metodología de diseño dirigida por modelos S m 4RIA, empleada en el desarrollo de RIAs semánticas. Como caso de estudio, se aborda el modelado de una red social en el dominio de la música. Esta aproximación combina las principales ventajas presentes en las tecnologí...

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2005

Current Web generation techniques are mainly hard-coded for predefined architectures of Web appli... more Current Web generation techniques are mainly hard-coded for predefined architectures of Web applications. Consequently, there is a gap between Web design models and the final implementation. We solve this problem, following with our approach the Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) principles of automatic generation of software systems based on model transformations. In this context, we present a transformation process and propose a visual and textual specification for the transformations using the forthcoming OMG standard Query /Views/ Transformations (QVT). Our proposal is illustrated by transformations involving elements of the UML-based Web Engineering (UWE) metamodel and the WebSA metamodel, showing this way how both approaches are integrated.

Propuestas basadas en el Desarrollo Dirigido por Modelos para Aplicaciones Web 41 2.4.1 Model-Dri... more Propuestas basadas en el Desarrollo Dirigido por Modelos para Aplicaciones Web 41 2.4.1 Model-Driven Development of Large-Scale Web Applications 2.4.2 MIDAS 2.4.3 Model-Driven Development Process for UWE 2.4.4 Consistent and Adaptable W2000 Models 2.4.5 Comparativa de las propuestas MDE para el desarrollo Web 2.5

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2012

BACKGROUND: Model-Driven Engineering claims a positive impact on software productivity and satisf... more BACKGROUND: Model-Driven Engineering claims a positive impact on software productivity and satisfaction. However, few efforts have been made to collect evidences that assess its true benefits and limitations. OBJECTIVE: To compare the productivity and satisfaction of junior Web developers during the development of the business layer of a Web 2.0 Application when using either a code-centric, a model-based (UML) or a Model-Driven Engineering approach (OOH4RIA). RESEARCH METHOD: We designed a full factorial, intra-subject experiment in which 26 subjects, divided into five groups, were asked to develop the same three modules of a Web application, each one using a different method. We measured their productivity and satisfaction with each approach. RESULTS: The use of Model-Driven Engineering practices seems to significantly increase both productivity and satisfaction of junior Web developers, regardless of the particular application. However, modeling activities that are not accompanied by a strong generation environment make productivity and satisfaction decrease below code-centric practices. Further experimentation is needed to be able to generalize the results to a different population, different languages and tools, different domains and different application sizes.

International Journal of Systems and Service-Oriented Engineering, 2011

Current Web 2.0 applications, either social sites or Rich Internet Applications, share several pr... more Current Web 2.0 applications, either social sites or Rich Internet Applications, share several problems of interoperability when interconnecting different systems. It is therefore complicated to reuse (or export) the information between sources. In this context, where the value belongs to the data, not the application, the use of Semantic Web technologies opens a way of resolution with mature and standard technologies, thus leading to the Web 3.0. This paper presents the application of Sm4RIA (Semantic Models for RIA), a model-driven design methodology that facilitates the development of semantic RIAs (SRIA), to the design of social network sites. The SRIA approach introduced herein combines the main advantages present in each of the current trends on the Web. In addition to these benefits, the application of a model-driven methodology can speed up the development process and simplify the reuse of external sources of knowledge.

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2005

Nowadays, the maturity reached by the Web engineering research community can be assessed by the m... more Nowadays, the maturity reached by the Web engineering research community can be assessed by the myriad of web design methods that have proven successful for the specification of the functional and navigational requirements posed by Web information systems. However, these proposals often fail to address architectural features, which results in Web specifications with rigid architectures, with no regard for their actual circumstances of use. To overcome this limitation, we propose a generic approach called WebSA. WebSA is based on the MDA (Model-driven Architecture) paradigm. It proposes a Model Driven Development made up of a set of UML architectural models and QVT transformations as mechanisms to integrate the functional aspects of the current methodologies with the architectural aspects. In order to illustrate our approach, in this paper we combine WebSA with the OO-H method to tackle the design of the well known J2EE Petstore specification. * This research has been partially sponsored by t the Spanish METASIGN (TIN2004-00779).

Abstract. RESTful Web services have opened the door to clients to use Web sites in ways the origi... more Abstract. RESTful Web services have opened the door to clients to use Web sites in ways the original designers never imagined giving rise to the mashup phenomenon. The main advantage of the model based approach in Web engi-neering is that the models specify sort of ...

Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), 2008

In the last few years, almost all model-driven Web Engineering approaches have evolved in respons... more In the last few years, almost all model-driven Web Engineering approaches have evolved in response to the new challenges of Web systems design, which are due to new requirements and implementation technologies in the Web domain. The evolution implies the extension and adaptation of current approaches, in terms of new models, transformations and processes in order to incorporate new concerns or aspects. Such changes in a methodology are a risky and error-prone process. In this paper, we analyze different alternatives to address the evolution and in particular, the addition of a new concern in a Model-Driven Web Engineering approach: (a) extending the original method with an additional modeling concern, (b) merging the original proposal with another approach covering the specific concern and, (c) finally, we propose a an interoperable and architectural-centric approach that aims to reduce the impact of adding a new concern. We discuss the main advantages and drawbacks of each alternative.

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2007

Transformations are of crucial importance for the success of Model-Driven Web Engineering (MDWE) ... more Transformations are of crucial importance for the success of Model-Driven Web Engineering (MDWE) approaches. Therefore, we need transformation engines to improve and obtain the results of the different approaches. However, very few model-driven Web approaches provide a transformation tool which would allow them to obtain an implementation from their models. In this paper, we present a tool called WebTE (WebSA Transformation Engine) which is able to introduce all the input artefacts of the WebSA approach and to establish a refining process based on model-to-model and model-to-text transformations which gives us the final implementation of a Web application.