Evolutionary patterns of design and design patterns

Abstract

Design patterns are considered well-formed language to represent software design. We propose several notions of design evolution and discuss the patterns of design evolution in terms of design patterns. First, we propose a classification of design patterns into pattern families. To model the design patterns and the evolutionary relationship between them, we propose a set of graphical notations of design patterns and their evolution, namely pattern type diagrams and pattern evolution diagrams. Then, we analyze evolutionary patterns of design within a family and across multiple families of design patterns. Based on the patterns of design evolution, we can navigate designers to select and compose design patterns for solving complex problems with design patterns. An example illustrates evolutionary design of the framework by composing design patterns.