Designing Software Architectures As a Composition of Specializations of Knowledge Domains

This paper summarizes our experimental research and software development activities in designing robust, adaptable and reusable software architectures. Several years ago, based on our previous experiences in object-oriented software development, we made the following assumption: ‘A software architecture should be a composition of specializations of knowledge domains’. To verify this assumption we carried out three pilot projects. In addition to the application of some popular domain analysis techniques such as use cases, we identified the invariant compositional structures of the software architectures and the related knowledge domains. Knowledge domains define the boundaries of the adaptability and reusability capabilities of software systems. Next, knowledge domains were mapped to object-oriented concepts. We experienced that some aspects of knowledge could not be directly modeled in terms of object-oriented concepts. In this paper we describe our approach, the pilot projects, the experienced problems and the adopted solutions for realizing the software architectures. We conclude the paper with the lessons that we learned from this experience

Redocumentation through design pattern recovery:: an investigation and an implementation

In this thesis, two methods are developed in an aid to help users capture valuable design information and knowledge and reuse them. They are the design pattern recovery (DPR) method and pattern-based redocumentation (PBR) method. The DPR method is for matching up metrics of patterns with patterns themselves in order to capture valuable design information. Patterns are used as a container for storing the information. Two new metrics, i.e., p-value and s-value are introduced. They are obtained by analysing product metrics statistically. Once patterns have been detected from a system, the system can be redocumented using these patterns. Some existing XML (extensible Markup Language) technologies are utilised in order to realise the PRB method. Next, a case study is carried out to validate the soundness and usefulness of the DPR method. Finally, some conclusions drawn from this research are summarised, and further work is suggested for the researchers in software engineering