Software Analysis Pattern - Describing An Analysis Pattern

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.