Framework Design: A Role Modeling Approach

Object-oriented frameworks promise higher productivity and shorter time-to-market for the development of objectoriented applications. These goals are achieved through design and code reuse. While many projects show that these promises can be met, failed projects also show that they are not always easy to reach. This dissertation addresses three pertinent technical problems of designing, learning, and using object-oriented frameworks: complexity of classes, complexity of object collaboration, and lack of clarity of requirements put upon use-clients of a framework.