Model description language for MIS development: CAST

This paper proposes a novel approach for developing management information systems (MIS). In recent years formal description techniques have been applied for MIS development in order to give rigorous specification: reduce the re-development cost, and raise reliability of systems. However, some problems are pointed out, such as the hardness of learning specification languages, the difficulty of automated executable code generation, and so forth. Our group has proposed a formal approach for MIS development, called ‘Model Theory Approach’. Most existing formal approaches are associated with set-theoretical languages to specify systems. CAST (computer acceptable set theory), the main topic of this paper, is also a set-theoretical model description language for Model Theory Approach. This paper shows that CAST solves some problems which have been pointed out in the literatures of formal description technique, and that it has the sufficient capability of MIS description. Finally, we claim that the acquisition of set-theoretical languages such as CAST is effective for MIS development.