Industrial Adoption Of Model-Driven Engineering: Are The Tools Really The Problem?

An oft-cited reason for lack of adoption of model-driven engineering (MDE) is poor tool support. However, studies have shown that adoption problems are as much to do with social and organizational factors as with tooling issues. This paper discusses the impact of tools on MDE adoption and places tooling within a broader organizational context. The paper revisits previous data on MDE adoption (19 in-depth interviews with MDE practitioners) and re-analyzes the data through the specific lens of MDE tools. In addition, the paper presents new data (20 new interviews in two specific companies) and analyzes it through the same lens. The key contribution of the paper is a taxonomy of tool-related considerations, based on industry data, which can be used to reflect on the tooling landscape as well as inform future research on MDE tools.