Metamodelling with formal semantics with application to access control specification

The visual aspect of metamodelling languages is an efficient lever to deal with the complexity of specifying systems. In many application domains, these systems are generally characterized by the sensitivity and criticality of their contents, hence precision and formalism are essential goals. This paper considers the domain of access control specification languages and proposes a metamodelling paradigm with capabilities for specifying both semantics and structuring elements. We describe how to specify semantics of domain specific systems at the metamodel and model levels. The paradigm defines reusable rules allowing mapping the models, including their semantics, to first order logic programs. It represents a methodical approach to elaborate domain specific languages endowed with visual aspects and means of reasoning on formal specifications. The paradigm is applicable to a wide range of systems. We show in this paper its application in the area of decision systems.