A model and tool for semi-automatic recording of design rationale in software diagrams

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to present an annotation model for recording design rationale, and to describe ABCDE-DR, a prototype system which implements this model, in particular for the domain of object diagrams in software engineering. It supports: semi-formal representation of DR; recording of design rationale in a semiautomatic manner through the reflection in action theory; and the integration between artifact and design rationale. Our model uses annotations as a means of cooperations among users and also representing design rationale information.