Context Centralised Method for Software Architecture: A Pattern Evolutionary Approach

Abstract

Context plays an important role in various analysis and design methods in software engineering, and is typically exemplified within data flow diagrams and (sometimes) design patterns. However, we believe that context within software engineering has been largely limited to identifying system boundaries for the scoping of work. In this paper we introduce an approach where the notion of context plays a central role during the analysis, architecture and design phases of software development, providing greater meaning and understanding. Accordingly, we provide a definition of context and how it relates to requirements, architecture and design and then propose a method of requirements elicitation/analysis based on context and its inherent properties for reducing ambiguity, increasing understanding and enabling greater communication. We extend the ideas to include the building of architectures and designs based on context-pattern evolution. Show more