Automated support for distributed software design

Automated support for the software design process has existed for many years in the form of CASE tools. Most of these are tailored to support specific design or analysis methods, and often have knowledge of the corresponding methodology built into the working of the tool. However, in terms of tool support, few of them go much beyond the provision of syntax-sensitive editors and checkers for the design notations concerned. We feel that conventional CASE tools have been too conservative in the level of automated support offered to the human developer. The Software Architect's Assistant is our attempt at addressing this limitation. It is an interactive graphical tool developed to facilitate the manipulation of software architectures, and currently supports the design and construction of Regis distributed programs. In its implementation, conscious effort has been made to maximise usability and efficiency, primarily by enhancing the level of automation and flexibility together with careful design of the user interface. Although currently specific to Regis distributed programs, the Assistant embodies concepts and ideas which are applicable to CASE tools in general.<
>