An automated approach to information systems decomposition

A method for automating the process of system decomposition is described. The method is based on a formal specification scheme, formal definition of good decomposition, heuristic rules governing the search for good candidate decompositions, and a measure of complexity that allows ranking of the candidate decompositions. The decomposition method has been implemented as a set of experimental computerized systems analysis tools and applied to a standard problem for which other designs already exist. The results are encouraging, in that decompositions generated using other methodologies map easily into those suggested by the computerized tools. Additionally, the use of the method indicates that when more than one `good´ decomposition is suggested by the system, the specifications might have been incomplete. That is, the computerized tools can identify areas where more information should be sought by analysis