Since my post in April, 2016, there have been submissions to the OMG (Object Management Group) RFP (the RFP is available at https://www.omg.org/cgi-bin/doc?ad/16-03-04 ). The goal is to define a standard facility that can be used to implement multiple vocabulary capabilities in implementations of OMG modeling languages. The submitters have joined together to develop a single specification and submitted a joint draft on February 19, 2018. There is agreement on a core structure that will enable a modeling language user to select a preferred vocabulary for terms that appear in that user's interactive interface.
However, there are some unresolved issues regarding the details of the specification. For example, in a single vocabulary, the same term may be used to represent different elements in the same model. In a business process model, an activity name may be used for different activities in different processes. The meaning of the activity name depends on the process context. Thus, a term may represent different concepts in different contexts. This is fairly common in programming languages and models. This is a characteristic of a modeling language that affects the representation of elements in the models it creates. Thus restricts the user's selection of terms new elements are added to a model, and it restricts another user who builds another vocabulary to represent the concepts of the model for a different community of users.
There are also issues regarding the integration of an MVF facility with a modeling language implementation.
A new draft specification is expected for the December, 2018, OMG meeting. OMG makes draft specifications available to OMG members, but does not make specifications publicly available until a final submission is adopted.
