Software analysis pattern

Software analysis patterns or analysis patterns in software engineering are conceptual models, which capture an abstraction of a situation that can often be encountered in modelling. An analysis pattern can be represented as "a group of related, generic objects (meta-classes) with stereotypical attributes (data definitions), behaviors (method signatures), and expected interactions defined in a domain-neutral manner."

Overview

Martin Fowler defines a pattern as an "idea that has been useful in one practical context and will probably be useful in others". He further on explains the analysis pattern, which is a pattern "that reflects conceptual structures of business processes rather than actual software implementations". An example:

File:Event-analysis-pattern.svg

Figure 1: Event analysis pattern

Martin Fowler describes this pattern as one that "captures the memory of something interesting which affects the domain".

Describing an analysis pattern

While doing Analysis we are trying to understand the problem. Fowler does not detail in his book a formal way to write or to describe analysis patterns. Suggestions have been raised since to have a consistent and uniform format for describing them. Most of them are based on the work from Erich Gamma, Frank Buschmann and Christopher Alexander on patterns (in architecture or computer science). One of them, proposed by Hahsler, has the following structure:

• Pattern name: a pattern name should really reflect the meaning of what it is abstracting. It should be simple so that one can refer to it during analysis.
• Intent: the intent aims to describe the goal the pattern is trying to achieve. It should also describe the problem it tries to solve.
• Motivation: "A scenario that illustrates the problem and how the analysis pattern contributes to the solution in the concrete scenario"
• Forces and context: "Discussion of forces and tensions which should be resolved by the analysis pattern"
• Solution: "Description of solution and of the balance of forces achieved by the analysis pattern in the scenario in the motivation section. Includes all relevant structural and behavioural aspects of the analysis pattern."
• Consequences: this should emphasise how the goal is achieved by the analysis pattern with its limitation.
• Design: Suggestions of design implementations of this pattern.
• Known uses: Real world examples of this pattern usage.

There are two main tasks where analysis pattern is used in software development process.They are as follows:

• Analysis pattern suggest design patterns and reliable solutions for common problems and it facilitates the transformation of the analysis model into a design model.
• Analysis patterns develop the abstract analysis models as early as possible.These models capture the main requirements of the concrete problem by providing reusable analysis models with examples as well as a description of advantages and limitations.

The World of Patterns

Patterns for software development are a "hot topic" from the object oriented community. Patterns are used to create a useful body of literature within a software community. This resolves recurring problems encountered throughout all of software development. Christopher Alexander developed a theory and collection of patterns in architecture.

See also

• Design pattern (computer science)
• Object-oriented analysis and design
• Problem frames approach is another approach to software requirements analysis.
• Role class model an example of analysis pattern applied to the role concept.
• Requirements analysis

Further reading

• This paper on pattern language for analysis pattern was presented at the PLoP 2002 (Pattern Languages Of Programs annual conference)

External links

• A list of analysis pattern examples by Martin Fowler