Applying UML and Patterns: An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis and Design and the Unified Process, Second Edition

16.3. Patterns

Experienced object-oriented developers (and other software developers) build up a repertoire of both general principles and idiomatic solutions that guide them in the creation of software. These principles and idioms, if codified in a structured format describing the problem and solution, and given a name, may be called patterns. For example, here is a sample pattern:

Pattern Name:	Information Expert
Solution:	Assign a responsibility to the class that has the information needed to fulfill it.
Problem It Solves:	What is a basic principle by which to assign responsibilities to objects?

In object technology, a pattern is a named description of a problem and solution that can be applied to new contexts; ideally, it provides advice in how ...