This reports on a case study of HotDraw. The Vir Lib Uoof 1997 and Vir Lib Plop 1996 papers both draw on this case study.

Abstract

We show how a new technique called use case maps helps humans to understand, capture, analyze, reuse, and change high-level behaviour patterns in complex software. We do so through the example of reengineering an object-oriented framework, a type of software that is well known to be difficult to understand. In the framework we studied (HotDraw), we trace scenarios through the software and express the behaviour patterns we see with use case maps. These maps express high-level behaviour patterns in terms of cause-effect paths, above the detailed level of messages. We find some unexpected, irregular patterns in Hotdraw's use case maps, redraw the maps, and make resulting changes to the software. The contribution of this paper is intended to be, not changes to Hotdraw, but the techniques we used to aid human understanding and communication of high-level behaviour patterns.

Revised version of Technical report SCE-95-17, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.

-- Gunter Mussbacher - 13 Oct 2005

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