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International Conference on Algebraic Methodology and Software Technology

AMAST 1996: Algebraic Methodology and Software Technology pp 62–84Cite as

Toward a classification approach to design

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1101))

Abstract

This paper addresses the problem of how to construct refinements of specifications formally and incrementally. The key idea is to use a taxonomy of abstract design concepts, each represented by a design theory An abstract design concept is applied by constructing a specification morphism from its design theory to a requirement specification. Procedures for propagating constraints, computing colimits, and constructing specification morphisms provide computational support for this approach. Although we conjecture that classification generally applies to the incremental application of knowledge represented in a taxonomy of design theories, this paper mainly focuses on algorithm design theories and presents several examples of design by classification.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kestrel Institute, 3260 Hillview Avenue, 94304, Palo Alto, California, USA

    Douglas R. Smith

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  1. Douglas R. Smith
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Martin Wirsing Maurice Nivat

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© 1996 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Smith, D.R. (1996). Toward a classification approach to design. In: Wirsing, M., Nivat, M. (eds) Algebraic Methodology and Software Technology. AMAST 1996. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1101. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0014308

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0014308

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-61463-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-68595-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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