Why software engineers do not keep to the principle of separating business logic from display: a method rationale analysis

  • Authors:

  • Malin Häggmark;Pär J. Ågerfalk

  • Affiliations:

  • Dept of Computer Science and Information Systems, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland;Dept of Computer Science and Information Systems, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland

  • Venue:
  • CAiSE'06 Proceedings of the 18th international conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering
  • Year:
  • 2006

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Abstract

This paper presents an investigation into why software engineers do not keep to the principle of separating business logic from display. The concept of method rationale is used to establish what is supposed to be achieved by following the principle. The resulting model is then contrasted with results from in-depth interviews with practicing engineers about what they want to achieve. The difference between what the principle advocates and what engineers consider beneficial holds the answer to why the principle of separating business logic from display is not maintained. The results suggest that many espoused benefits of the principle do not appeal to engineers in practice and the principle is tailored to make it more useful in particular contexts. Tailoring the principle also brought about other benefits, not explicated by the principle, thus reinforcing the idea that method tailoring is crucial to the successful enactment of information systems engineering methods.