Tools for Exploration of Dynamic Models<BR>in Object-oriented Design<BR><em>(Preliminary Version)</em>
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Tools for Exploration of Dynamic Models
in Object-oriented Design
(Preliminary Version)
Kurt Nørmark
Aalborg University
Denmark
Abstract:
In the scope of object-oriented design, a dynamic model may be concerned
with the mutual interaction among objects. In addition, a dynamic
model may deal with creation and deletion of objects. As such, dynamic
models are in contrast to static models, which typically are concerned with
classes and class relations. It is a central hypothesis of this work
that designing with concrete objects is easier and more direct than
designing with classes, especially in complicated design
situations. In addition it has been observed that dynamic models are
much more difficult to capture on a sheet of paper than a static
model, because of a mismatch between the medium (paper) and the
nature of the model (something being ``alive''). In the paper we argue
that programs, formulated in an ordinary object-oriented programming
language, cannot be used for design purposes, because programming
languages are concerned with too many details, which are irrelevant
for design purposes. Instead we propose a new formalism for
description of dynamic models together with a set of tools that
constitute a dynamic medium, via which the models can be explored.
Kurt Noermark
Mon Feb 26 14:37:40 MET 1996