Comparison of Method Chunks and Method Fragments for Situational Method Engineering

Abstract

Two main candidates for the atomic element to be used in situational method engineering (SME) have been proposed: the "method fragment" and the "method chunk". These are examined here in terms of their conceptual integrity and in terms of how they may be used in method construction. Also, parallels are drawn between the two approaches. Secondly, the idea of differentiating an interface from a body has been proposed for method chunks (but not for method fragments). This idea is examined and mappings are constructed between the interface and body concepts of method chunks and the concepts used to describe method fragments. The new ISO/IEC 24744 standard metamodel is used as a conceptual framework to perform these mappings.