AGE ; |

relation analysis and validation. The en-

In this, the cyclopedia stores the meanings repre-
third of six col-  sented in diagrams and enforces
umns on I-GASE'  consistency within this representation.
technology, The encyclopedia "understands" the de-

James Martin

sign, whereas a simple dictionary does
discusses the

not. It is an intelligent facility, not mere-

PO WEEKNAPPLICATION DEVELOPMENT
APPLIED INTELLIGENCE
I-CASE Encyclopedia Brings Consisten

so that code for the system can be gen-
erated automatically.

As shown in the figure below, com-
pleted design specifications from multi-
ple PC workbenches are fed to a central
knowledge coordinator and encyclo-
pedia.

heart on an I- ly a passive database. The knowledge coordinator ensures
CASE tool: the Use of an encyclopedia: The encyclo-  consistency among the different. pieces
encuclopedita, a pedia stores the meaning represented in of knowledge that reside in the ency-
high-level knowl-  diagrams and enforces consistency with-  clopedia. It applies AI rules to the in-
edge base that in this representation. Graphic represen- formation that is checked into the en-
stores sufficient  ftations are derived from the encyclope- cyclopedia.
detati about a dia and are used to update it. The, ency- The function of the central knowledge
procedure so clopedia contains many rules relating to  coordinator is to provide a global analy-
that code for the the knowledge it stores and may employ sis of the design specifications from all
procedure can rule-processing, an artificial-intelligence workbenches in ore to detect inconsis-
be generated, automatically. ne me |
Rapid advances in PC technology are RO AOM Hiši |
ushering in a new generation of front- PRA D pa jedi IP m
end software-development systems «Central Role of Encyclopedia
based on computer-aided systems engi- zone pd Spa srna Ka UI. |
neering (CASE) technigues. As discussed |.......:...;.G: O" Sa
in the first article in this serieson CASE |:: :.  fnsie ne Mamo o oe. :
tools, the most advanced integrated a RAN z ee drla oki |
CASE, or I-CASE, tools incorporate pih Ee Mene SE ži 5.4, Generation J a Seči
Na NR NEE such as graphical se Ple" Code ' či Ai of Database "% Generation of
sign or the planning, analysis an Ri pavi žiro ze
design phases of the life-cycle process RI Generation ; ,, Documentation. |
rule-based design validation, local | UTE TT UE ajcoji Peče
knowledge coordinators and local ency- A S lesi
clopedias. These PC-based, front-end nili: VERE bile
functions are tightly integrated with SR A
mainframe-based, back-end code genera- |: pis,
tors, database generators, documenta- zao CA
tion generators and project management |
aids. | |
CASE tools are oriented toward the
support of systems analysts, system de-
signers, application developers, program-.
- mers, engineers and. m builders.
Fly integrated CASE tools will funda- —

mentally alter the way systems are
specified, designed, implemented and

A CASE workbench should implement
a complete software development envi:
ronment that supports the entire life-cy-
cle process, customization for each

tion user, powerful graphics,
projek level coordination, automatic
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K v ; o pomena about the or- AM O

JANUARY 23, 1989

y to IS

the enterprise and its systems, its data

models, data flows, process models,

rules, specifications and screen designs.
Views and hyperviews: A common
term in database technology is "view."

A view of a database is a representation

of data that is perceived by one person

or program. The structure of the data-
base may be far more complex than the
structure of the view. The view shows
only those fields in which the user is in-
terested at: the time.

Many views may be logically linked to
form a hyperview, just as many dia-

grams are logically linked to form a

hyperdiagram. A hyperview is a collec-
tion of knowledge about an activity or
group of activities and the data these ac-
tivities use. It can be represented with
multiple, logically related screen displays.
A hyperview is given an identification
number and is one of the formal objects
tracked by the encyclopedia.

The central encyclopedia contains
many hyperviews. The different
hyperviews overlap; in other words,
they use common objects and employ
data derived from a common data
model.

Consistency among diagrams: Differ-
ent types of diagrams show different
manifestations of the same information.

These diagrams are linked together into
hyperviews. Data may be entered in one
type of diagram and displayed with a
different type of diagram. The encyclo-
pedia ensures that the different. dia-
grams reflect a consistent meaning.
A person using a CASE workstation
builds his own model or deslen This is

sistency within that hyperview. "The lo-
cal hyperview is built with objects that
are extracted from a central encyclope-
dia and use the detail that is centrally
stored. There is, thus, consistency be-
tween the local hyperview and the cen-
tral representation.

Two implementors may create two
separate hyperviews. The central knowl-
edge coordinator has the task of exam-
ining them in combination to ensure
complete consistency between them. In
this way, consistency is achieved even

in a multiperson project or in a multi- pi"
project environment. | oo

A computer with CASE representa-

tions can enforce absolute MTEEE Tj oje
work among RU
Achieving consistency becomes a human Če ;
problem of resolving different opinions. . O ii
The computerized corporation of the fu- — JE
ture could not. be built without. comput- Ne — Bi

many implementors..