Enduser-Initiative Application Development based on Architecture of a Model, UI and Components

Explosive increase in end-user computing on distributed systems requires that end-users develop application software by themselves. One solution is given as a formula of “a domain model ≡ a computation model. ” This formula implies that one task in a domain model of cooperative work corresponds to one object in a computation model based on an object-oriented model. Application development environment, M-base 1, supports this formula for cooperative systems such as groupware and workflow systems. The application architecture is fixed as composed of a model, a user interface and components. At the first stage, the system behavior is expressed as a message-driven model by using a modeling tool while focusing on message flow and components. The system behavior may be defined recursively in the manner of stepwise refinement. This implies that end-users define composite components. At the second stage, a user interface is generated automatically and may be customized if necessary. Then transition diagrams of user interfaces are generated automatically and used for confirmation of external specifications of the application. Finally, the system behavior is verified by using a simulation tool. This component-based development process is confirmed by feasibility study on a given problem of IPSJ sigRE group. Key words: software architecture, componentware, software development process, object-orientation, domain modeling, end-user computing 1 Tomoaki IWATA is with Sony, Co. since Apr. 1999. 1