Analysis Patterns: Reusable Object Models (Object-Oriented Software Engineering Series) - Hardcover

Fowler, Martin

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0201895420 ISBN 13: 9780201895421

Publisher: Addison Wesley, 1996

This innovative book recognizes the need within the object-oriented community for a book that goes beyond the tools and techniques of the typical methodology book. In Analysis Patterns: Reusable Object Models, Martin Fowler focuses on the end result of object-oriented analysis and design - the models themselves. He shares with you his wealth of object modeling experience and his keen eye for identifying repeating problems and transforming them into reusable models. Analysis Patterns provides a catalogue of patterns that have emerged in a wide range of domains including trading, measurement, accounting and organizational relationships. Recognizing that conceptual patterns cannot exist in isolation, the author also presents a series of "support patterns" that discuss how to turn conceptual models into software that in turn fits into an architecture for a large information system. Included in each pattern is the reasoning behind their design, rules for when they should and should not be used, and tips for implementation. The examples presented in this book comprise a cookbook of useful models and insight into the skill of reuse that will improve analysis, modeling and implementation.0201895420B07092001

Review:

Besides general-purpose designs, patterns can be specific to particular areas of computing. Martin Fowler's Analysis Patterns: Reusable Object Models contributes to the literature of patterns by defining more than 70 patterns derived from the health care and financial areas.

The book begins with some intriguing patterns from the business world including the Party and Accountability patterns, which define the players in organisations and whom they report to. A considerable number of patterns are drawn from the health care industry--principally doctor-patient interactions--with patterns such as Observation, Measurement and Protocol. Obviously, these will be most applicable to object modellers who work in this industry (though, of course, patterns can often be used profitably in other fields).

The patterns for financial markets will probably be more interesting for most readers. Fowler defines a Transaction pattern (and related patterns) as well as several for the accounting of objects. He moves on to modelling stock markets with patterns for Portfolio, Quote and Scenario (which defines how a price for a stock is defined for a given moment). Interestingly, he defines patterns for Forward Contracts (for derivatives) as well as Options, and so takes on a complicated area of so much activity in today's financial markets.

The book benefits from the author's considerable design experience in these fields. The author defines each pattern in text and in software-engineering diagrams, but rarely provides implementations of these designs, Implementations that are included are in Smalltalk, making this a book for those experienced with object design. --Richard Dragan

About the Author:

Martin Fowler is an independent consultant who has applied objects to pressing business problems for more than a decade. He has consulted on systems in fields such as health care, financial trading, and corporate finance. His clients include Chrysler, Citibank, UK National Health Service, Andersen Consulting, and Netscape Communications. In addition, Fowler is a regular speaker on objects, the Unified Modeling Language, and patterns.

0201895420AB07242003

• Publisher: Addison Wesley
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0201895420
• ISBN 13: 9780201895421
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384