Toward a Unified Framework for Quality and Consistency Verification of UML Models A. Baruzzo 1 and M. Comini 1 Dipartimento di Matematica e Informatica (DIMI), University of Udine, Via delle Scienze 206, 33100 Udine, Italy. Abstract Model-Driven Development (MDD) is an emergent approach to software engineering which is based on the systematic use of software modeling as a primary form of expression. The central focus in MDD is on models, as opposed to source code in the traditional conception of soft- ware development. However the introduction of models in the software life cycle poses new issues and challenges that current state-of-the-art development tools do not support adequately. In this paper we investigate some of these challenges, taking into account the role played by models. Then we propose a unified framework which integrates different verification methods with the intent to check (UML) models against consistency issues and design defects. Our approach aims to integrate traditional techniques with model-based ones, keeping the advantages of both static and dynamic verification methods in order to increase the proficiency of the MDD activities. Model-Driven Development (MDD) is an emergent approach to software en- gineering which is based on the systematic use of software modeling as a primary form of expression. The central focus in MDD is on models, as opposed to source code in the traditional conception of software development. However the intro- duction of models in the software life cycle poses new issues and challenges that current state-of-the-art development tools do not support adequately. In this paper we discuss some of these challenges and how the practice of MDD affects software development tools. We start analyzing the role of models, that are a better medium than source code to express abstractions, which are the fundamental element of the software engineering practice [14,24]. Then we pro- ceed addressing other issues concerned with models, the traditional activities of design, validation and verification (V&V). Taking into account these challenges allow us to identify the key features for developing a unified framework suitable to tailor the development process in the context of model-driven development environments, with particular attention to UML models.