INTERWEAVING POLICIES INTO OBJECTS TO FACILITATE SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE

Abstract

A software development method must assist the developers in constructing software systems and help maintainers of software systems in their administration without constant design restructuring. Thus, a software development method should enhance the software maintenance process as well as facilitate software reuse. Since the bulk of software maintenance cost comes from changing user requirements, software development methods must provide for software evolution. This thesis recognizes the benefits of using an object-oriented framework to modelling information systems. It also recognizes the lack of adequate representation for the more volatile policies in a business environment in the object-oriented approach. The use of rules to represent policies is advocated in this thesis. This thesis discusses an approach that integrates policies into objects using a rule-based schema. Policy representations are raised to a higher level of abstraction in the approach to facilitate software maintenance right at the start of software creation. This would, in turn, lead to information systems that are more maintainable and reusable.