Re: (FC-Devel) [Re: Concept Oriented Design ] + results of tool evaluation

[Ken Boyer <ken@vascor.com>]

>>Reply to message from Chen Ofek (cheno@glx.chief.co.il) at 7:35 AM 8/17/98
>>I would like to try to sketch my view about the main structure of a CASE
>>program and the main features I would like to see.
>>
>>As I mentioned in my previous mail and in my discussion with Thomas
>>Fricke(which seems to agree with me) I think
>>that the main structure should be something like Conceptual Graphs.
>>So, we should call our methodology "Concept Oriented Design".
>>With Conceptual Graphs as our main structure I think that we should use
>>as many diagram types as we can (e.g. State Machine diagrams, Use Case
>>diagrams, Activity diagrams etc.)
>>I think that we have to support three main domains with our diagrams:
>>1. Problem Domain
>>2. Solution Domain
>>3. Implementation Domain
>>(our tool should support an unlimited number of Domains)

I agree.

>>For every domain we should have a group of diagrams.
>>I think that the most important feature will be to generate a set of
>>diagrams for the Implementation Domain when given a set of Diagrams for
>>the Solution Domain.
>>If we can come up with an algorithm to transform between Problem Domain
>>and Solution Domain it will be great.

Perhaps we should allow for a language to be used to develop and
customize this algorithm. Whatever language we use to develop this
tool can be used to add these extensions. We just need to make the
graphical language, etc. easy to manipulate and transform. I just
don't think we can come up with a universal algorithm to accomplish
these transformations.

>>Also, we should have :
>>    Generalizing Algorithm - will be used to move from Detailed Level to
>>Top Level.
>>    Specifying Algorithm - will be used to move from Top Level to
>>Detailed Level.
>>
>>The features of integrated Network,Corba and CVS are obvious important
>>features but are not necessary for the first proto-type.

These can also be future add-ons and extensions.

>>A note about development process: I think that we should generate a
>>first proto-type which can do Conceptual Graphs,
>>model our proto-type with that tool and continue our development with
>>our tool.

Another good idea. I think we're making progress.

>>In that way we can bootstrap our development and also use and check our
>>tool as we develop it.

By "check our tool", I assume that we would need some UML rules-checking
built-in. This is another good feature to have at an early point in
development.

I hope that I can lend some valuable input.


_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)
_) Kenneth W. Boyer, Jr.
_) Senior Software Engineer
_) VASCOR, Inc.
_) ken@vascor.com
_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)_)