DSL-maps: From requirements to design of domain-specific languages

Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) are central to Model-Driven Engineering, where they are used for creating models for particular domains. However, current research and tools for building DSLs focus on the design and implementation aspects of the DSL, while the requirements analysis phase, and its automated transition to design is largely neglected. In order to alleviate this situation, we propose DSL-maps, a notation inspired by mind-maps, to represent requirements for DSLs. The notation is supported by a tool, which helps in the automated transition into an initial meta-model design, using a customizable transformation and recommendations from a catalogue of meta-model design patterns.