A Formal ORM-to -UML Mapping Algorithm

The object-role model (ORM) data structure can be represented in the unified modeling language (UML) using the five fact encoding constructs: class attribute, association, association class, sub-class and the association qualifier. In the existing literature there exist numerous mappings of how individual fact types from an ORM information model can be mapped onto ‘well-formed’ UML expressions. What is lacking in the existing literature is a precise description of the conditions on the ‘source’ object-role model under which a specific UML fact encoding construct can be applied in the ‘target’ UML class diagram. In this paper we will show under what conditions, a specific UML fact encoding construct must be applied in a way that results in a well-formed UML class diagram.