Robustness Diagram: a bridge between business modelling and system design

Abstract

Use case driven development has proven being a good approach for capturing problem semantics in an orderly, structured description. However, it specifies an abstraction beyond practicity to guide system design process. Robustness diagrams are a simple solution for drafting a more formal description for business modelling. This very simplicity may, however, detract its value, falling short of capturing the rich business semantics. Stereotyping is the essence behind its robustness diagram mechanics. Symbols convey the abstraction necessary to catch the model semantics. Increasing the number of stereotypes we can achieve a closer match from model to design. Rules carefully stated for robustness diagram can help to translate highleveI information into well-behaved and predictable symbolic descriptions. This enhancement to robustness diagram helps to patch the gap between abstract model and project into a paved continuum. It has been used to train programmers to extract working and consistent systems out of use case specifications.