Learning C# 3.0

Object-Oriented Analysis and Design

Before you program anything, other than a trivial demonstration program, you need to take two steps: analysis and design. Analysis is the process of understanding and detailing the problem you are trying to solve. Design is the actual planning of your solution.

With trivial problems (such as computing the Fibonacci series), you may not need an extensive analysis period, but with complex business problems the analysis process can take weeks, or even months. One powerful analysis technique is to create what are called use-case scenarios, in which you describe in some detail how the system will be used. Among the other considerations in the analysis period are determining your success factors (how do you know whether your program works?) and writing a specification of your program’s requirements.

Once you’ve analyzed the problem, you design the solution. Imagining the classes you will use and their interrelationships is key to the design process. You might design a simple program on the fly, without this careful planning; but in any serious business application, you will want to take some time to think through the issues.

There are many powerful design techniques you might use. How much time you put into design^[2] before you begin coding will depend on the philosophy of the organization you work for; the size of your team; and your background, experience, and training.^[3]

Tip

Jesse says: My approach to managing complexity is to keep team size very small. ...