Overview
ISO/IEC 19763-1:2023 - Metamodel framework for interoperability (MFI) - Part 1: Framework provides the high-level overview and architectural foundation for the ISO/IEC 19763 series. It defines the purpose, core concepts, overall architecture and the requirements for developing the normative metamodels that enable registration and discovery of many types of models (information models, process models, service models, document schemas, ontologies, etc.). The standard explains how metamodels are expressed (UML class diagrams and formal text) and how they work together with ISO/IEC 11179-3 metadata registry facilities to describe models for registration without prescribing any physical registry implementation.
Key topics and requirements
- Metamodels and modelling languages: Metamodels define the language used to express classes of models; each MFI metamodel is represented as UML plus formal textual specification.
- Model registration: Specifies the conceptual requirements for registering models (metadata about models), supporting discovery, identification, designation, definition and provenance.
- Interoperability goals: Emphasizes both system interoperability and semantic interoperability - enabling different systems and organizations to share and understand modelled information.
- Registry interoperability and discovery: Provides architectural guidance for model registries and networks of registries (e.g., Registry of Registries, Registry Summary) to support model discovery and reuse.
- MFI architecture: Describes the common modelling framework and internal structure for the series, including conformance requirements for future parts.
- Non-prescriptive on storage: Clarifies that the series does not mandate any physical structure of registries - models may reside in repositories or exist as documents.
Applications and who uses it
ISO/IEC 19763-1 is practical for organizations and professionals who need systematic discovery, registration and reuse of models to achieve interoperability:
- Enterprise architects, data architects and information modelers using standard metamodels to publish and find canonical data models.
- Government agencies and public sector IT implementing cross-agency data sharing and Open Data initiatives to ensure semantic interoperability.
- Standards bodies and SDOs developing normative metamodels for specific domains or model types.
- Tool vendors and repository providers building model registries, model repositories or registry-of-registries for model discovery and governance.
- Systems integrators enabling integration between heterogeneous applications by mapping registered models.
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 19763 series (other parts provide specific metamodels, e.g., information models, process/service models)
- ISO/IEC 11179-3:2023 (Metadata registries - common facilities) - used together with MFI to define registry metadata and provenance
- ISO/IEC 11179 family (registry procedures and metadata item definitions)
Keywords: ISO/IEC 19763-1, Metamodel framework for interoperability, MFI, metadata registry, model registry, metamodels, semantic interoperability, model registration, ISO/IEC 11179.
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