Interactive and visual environment supporting conceptual modeling of complex OODB applications
AVI '96 Proceedings of the workshop on Advanced visual interfaces
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Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOAD) methods are rapidly getting a wide consensus. They are mainly based on a diagrammatic approach. Diagrams are intuitive, fast to learn and easy to use. However, they lack of a formal basis and their semantics is mainly descriptive. Furthermore, validation and verification of analysis specifications are, to a large extent, performed manually. Conversely, formal specification methods, such as Z or Larch, do not guarantee the same level of intuitiveness and have not been conceived for a diagrammatic representation.In this paper we present a visual, diagrammatic OOAD method conceived to joining formality and intuitive user interaction. The method is organised in three layers. The external layer allows the user directly manipulate diagrams representing analysis specifications. The internal layer represents the formal model of the application being analysed. Then we have an intermediate layer that decouples the two, so that the external (presentation) layer has the independence from the formal layer that allows the flexibility to meet at the best the interaction needs of the user. The proposed method has been embodied in Mosaico, an O-O conceptual modeling tool developed at IASI-CNR.