An object-oriented framework to support architectural design development

The authors present a requirements-specification methodology, called knowledge-based assistant for program specification (KAPS), that analyzes domain information from an object-oriented perspective. The methodology is based on an environment that provides knowledge-based assistance for the generation of a requirements specification model. The model is used to derive a framework for an object-based architectural design. A key feature of the methodology is that it supports traceability of the information contained in the architectural design. The specification resulting from the application of the methodology can be mapped to a top-level object-based modular architecture. The authors provide an example of the resulting specification and discuss its relationship to the initial modular structure of the system