Towards a classification to facilitate the design of domain-specific visual languages

Domain-specific visual languages (DSVLs) are specialized modeling languages that allow the effective management of the behavior and the structure of software programs and systems in a specific domain. Each DSVL has its specific structural and graphical characteristics depending on the problem domain. In the recent decade, a wide range of tools and methodologies have been introduced to support the design of DSVLs for various domains, therefore it can be a challenging task to choose the most appropriate techniques for the design process. Our research aims to present a classification to guide the identification of the most relevant and appropriate methodologies in the given scenario. The classification is capable enough to provide a clear and precise understanding of the main aspects that can facilitate the design of DSVLs