Augmenting Conceptual Software Designs With Their Rationales

Abstract

Efforts are being put in making available generic, and thus reusable, conceptual software designs for the benefit of knowledge system development. These generic conceptual designs define the boundaries of (alternative) solutions to a class of design problems (e.g. design of diagnostic or schedule applications). They allow the design problem to be approached as a configuration task. To increase their benefit, we propose a novel information structure to augment generic conceptual designs currently offered. Design decisions are made explicit by this information structure and their underlying rationalizations are captured. This rationalization expresses the way in which each design decision satisfies the postulated system requirements. Increased benefits of the augmented generic conceptual designs concern guidance in modifying the predefined design, in understanding implications of the modifications, and in justifying the conceptual design to interest groups. Keywords: conceptual software ..