After a quick introduction to the design process Catalysis, this book moves on to carefully defining objects, their attributes, operations, and collaborations. (Generally, Catalysis objects and components are "decoupled" so that they can work more independently, leading to easier reuse and customization.)

The authors then turn to modeling and design, using a spreadsheet program as their example. Next, the authors discuss component-based design, where projects are assembled with components. The book closes with an effective tour of the actual Catalysis design process, illustrated with a case study for a video-rental store. All design documents, written in the Unified Modeling Language (UML), are provided along with some useful expert advice on creating better design documents and components.

Judging from the evidence here, the Catalysis design method can offer some real advantages for today's software, which...

Component-based software development regards software construction in terms of conventional engineering disciplines where the assembly of systems from readily-available prefabricated parts is the norm. Because both component-based systems themselves and the stakeholders in component-based development projects are different from traditional software systems, component-based testing also needs to deviate from traditional software testing approaches.

Gross first describes the specific challenges related to component-based testing like the lack of internal knowledge of a component or the usage of a component in diverse contexts. He argues that only built-in contract testing, a test organization for component-based applications founded on building test artifacts directly into components, can prevent catastrophic failures like the one that caused the now famous ARIANE 5 crash in 1996. Since building testing into components has implications for component development, built-in contract testing is integrated with...

Use Case Driven Object Modeling with UML–Theory and Practice shows how to drive an object-oriented software design from use case all the way through coding and testing, based on the minimalist, UML-based ICONIX process. In addition to a comprehensive explanation of the foundations of the approach, the book makes extensive use of examples and provides exercises at the back of each chapter.

This book leads by example. It demonstrates common analysis and design errors, shows how to detect and fix them, and suggests how to avoid making the same errors in the future. The book also encourages you to examine its UML examples and to search for specific errors. You'll get clues, then later receive the answers during "review sessions" toward the end of the book.