This paper introduces a model‐driven approach to the design of collaborative Web‐based applications, i.e. applications in which several users play different roles, in a collaborative way, to pursue a specific goal. The paper illustrates a conference management application (CMA), whose main requirements include: (i) the management of users profiles and access rights based on the role played by users during the conference life cycle; (ii) the delivery of information and services to individual users; (iii) the management of the sequence of activities that lead to the achievement of a common goal. The presented approach is based on WebML, a conceptual modelling language for the Web. The paper also highlights some general properties—as understood by the practical experience of CMA development—that a Web modelling language should feature in order to fully support the development of collaborative applications. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.