| When we first endeavored to understand object-oriented development, we read the usual books, subscribed to the typical newsgroups on the Internet, and read many publications. We found great volumes of information inapplicable for the average, chaotic pace of software development. Mostly, it was too theoretical for our taste. Each author had a different slant on what constituted object modeling, often with differing diagrams and definitions representing the same concept. We decided what this industry needed was a good five-cent guide (well, OK, inflation ruined a perfectly good cliché) that applied the sound principles of object-oriented thinking to the development of business solutions.
This book provides a systematic approach to object-oriented development using an iterative style. Additionally, we include how other vocations involved with the object-oriented development process (such as project management, documentation, testing, training, and infrastructure) interact during a development project.
We believe an approach should be flexible enough to allow customizing it for a specific use. If the level of formality is stifling, it manifests itself in the delivered system. The great architect Louis Henry Sullivan once said, “Form ever follows function.” This also applies to developing systems. If the approach is too rigid, the final product will also be too rigid. The greatest need in any depiction of a business is flexibility. This is true whether we are referring to the analysis, the design, or the “programmed” solution. Businesses must remain responsive to the ever-changing influences of day-to-day operation. We feel our approach is complete. It covers many areas not typically included in an approach. However, please feel free to customize and adapt it to your own culture. We prefer that you use some of our approach, rather than none at all—oatmeal is better than no meal. |
