Towards an Interoperability Framework for Model- Driven Development of Software Systems Brian Elvesæter 1 , Axel Hahn 2 , Arne-Jørgen Berre 1 , Tor Neple 1 1 SINTEF ICT, P. O. Box 124 Blindern, N-0314 Oslo, Norway {brian.elvesater, arne.j.berre, tor.neple}@sintef.no 2 Wirtschaftsinformatik Universität Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany hahn@wi-ol.de Abstract. This paper presents an interoperability framework for enterprise ap- plications and software systems. The framework provides a foundation for model-driven development of software systems supporting the business inter- operability needs of an enterprise. This is achieved through a set of reference models that addresses interoperability issues for conceptual integration, techni- cal integration and applicative integration of software systems. 1 Introduction Enterprises today face many challenges related to lack of interoperability. Enterprise applications and software systems need to be interoperable in order to achieve seam- less business across organisational boundaries and thus realise virtual networked organisations. IEEE [1] defines interoperability as “the ability of two or more systems or components to exchange information and to use the information that has been exchanged”. Model-driven development (MDD), and in particular OMG’s Model-Driven Ar- chitecture® (MDA® 1 ) [2], is emerging as the state of practice for developing modern enterprise applications and software systems. The MDD paradigm provides us with a better way of addressing and solving interoperability issues compared to earlier non- modelling approaches. However, developing correct and useful models to address interoperability is not an easy task. We believe that there is a need for an interopera- bility framework that provides guidance on how MDD should be applied to address interoperability. In this paper we present initial results from ATHENA [3] and INTEROP [4] in de- fining an interoperability framework for model-driven development of enterprise applications and software systems. The framework provides a foundation, consisting of a set of reference models, for how to apply MDD in software engineering disci- plines in order to support the business interoperability needs of an enterprise. 1 Model Driven Architecture® and MDA® are registered trademarks of the Object Manage- ment Group