A method of checking errors and consistency in the process of object-oriented analysis

It is important to check errors and keep consistency in the process of object-oriented analysis. However, current object-oriented development methodologies fail to present standardized methods to detect errors and to verify consistency. This paper presents a method of checking errors and consistency in object-oriented analysis models using a knowledge base. The method consists of three steps; modeling, formalizing and verifying. In the modeling step, three models are produced: the object model, the dynamic model and the functional model, as in Rumbaugh's OMT (Object Modeling Technique) (1991). In the formalizing step, these three models are transformed into atomic formulae and are stored in an application knowledge base. In the verifying step, the rules for detecting errors and checking consistency are applied. The results of the analysis process for some ATM (Automated Teller Machine) models were used to validate this method. The method is expected to produce more reliable analysis models.