METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DEFINING A SOFTWARE APPLICATION AS A SPECIFICATION

• US 20090094573A1
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infonovus Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Infonovus Technologies LLC
• Inventors: SKRILETZ, RICHARD A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,473,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

A method and system include capturing one or more process flow definitions that define, at least in part, a software application. One or more user interface definitions that define, at least in part, an interface to the software application are captured. One or more data definitions that define, at least in part, data used within the software application are captured. One or more rules for validating at least part of the software application are captured. A design definition is captured as a specification wherein the design definition includes: the one or more process flow definitions, the one or more user interface definitions, the one or more data definitions, and the one or more rules.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing one or more process flow definitions that define, at least in part, a software application;

capturing one or more user interface definitions that define, at least in part, an interface to the software application;

capturing one or more data definitions that define, at least in part, data used within the software application;

capturing one or more rules for validating at least part of the software application; and

capturing a design definition as a specification wherein the design definition includes;

the one or more process flow definitions;

the one or more user interface definitions;

the one or more data definitions; and

the one or more rules.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating one or more design elements based, at least in part, on one or more of;

the one or more process flow definitions;

the one or more user interface definitions;

the one or more data definitions; and

the one or more rules.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein capturing the design definition as a specification includes capturing the one or more design elements as at least part of the specification.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more data definitions includes one or more items selected from the group consisting of:

user interface data elements;

an organization chart that identifies, at least in part, operating units and their hierarchy;

a work location that identifies, at least in part, a physical work facility; and

a functional hierarchy that defines the functional components of the software design.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more rules are selected from the group consisting of:

a rule for controlling the operation of a design definition;

a rule for determining the completeness of the design definition;

a rule for determining the consistency of the design definition.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more process flow definitions include one or more process actions.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the one or more process actions are selected from the group consisting of:

a manual process action;

an interactive process action; and

an automated process action.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the one or more process actions are associated with one or more of the group consisting of:

an operating unit;

a work location;

a process action trigger;

a user interface definition;

data;

a data relationship; and

a validation rule.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising one or more of the group consisting of:

validating that the specification is a complete specification;

validating that the specification is a consistent specification; and

validating that the specification is a controlled specification.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating one or more simulation definitions that define, at least in part, one or more simulations of the software application;

wherein the design definition further includes the one or more simulation definitions.

11. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium, having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

capturing one or more process flow definitions that define, at least in part, a software application;

capturing one or more user interface definitions that define, at least in part, an interface to the software application;

capturing one or more data definitions that define, at least in part, data used within the software application;

capturing one or more rules for validating at least part of the software application; and

capturing a design definition as a specification wherein the design definition includes;

the one or more process flow definitions;

the one or more user interface definitions;

the one or more data definitions; and

the one or more rules.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

generating one or more design elements based, at least in part, on one or more of;

the one or more process flow definitions;

the one or more user interface definitions;

the one or more data definitions; and

the one or more rules.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein capturing the design definition as a specification includes capturing the one or more design elements as at least part of the specification.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the one or more data definitions includes one or more items selected from the group consisting of:

user interface data elements;

an organization chart that identifies, at least in part, operating units and their hierarchy;

a work location that identifies, at least in part, a physical work facility; and

a functional hierarchy that defines the functional components of the software design.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the one or more rules are selected from the group consisting of:

a rule for controlling the operation of a design definition;

a rule for determining the completeness of the design definition;

a rule for determining the consistency of the design definition.

16. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the one or more process flow definitions include one or more process actions.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more process actions are selected from the group consisting of:

a manual process action;

an interactive process action; and

an automated process action.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more process actions are associated with one or more of the group consisting of:

an operating unit;

a work location;

a process action trigger;

a user interface definition;

data;

a data relationship; and

a validation rule.

19. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the operations further comprise one or more of the group consisting of:

validating that the specification is a complete specification;

validating that the specification is a consistent specification; and

validating that the specification is a controlled specification.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

generating one or more simulation definitions that define, at least in part, one or more simulations of the software application;

wherein the design definition further includes the one or more simulation definitions.