Object Oriented Role Analysis and Modeling


The Object Oriented Role Analysis and Modeling is a method, based on the concept of role, for performing object-oriented modeling.
Originally coined Object Oriented Role Analysis, Synthesis and Structuring, the method focuses on describing patterns of interaction without connecting the interaction to particular objects/instances. OOram was originally developed by Trygve Reenskaug, a professor at the University of Oslo and the founder of the Norwegian IT company Taskon. The use of "roles" in OOram is similar in application to that of Agent-oriented programming.
Enterprise models created according to OOram may have a number of views, with each view presenting certain aspects of a model. The following ten views are proposed:
  1. Area of concern view: Textual description of a phenomenon represented in the role model.
  2. Stimulus-response view: Describes how environment roles may trigger activities in the organization, together with the effect.
  3. Role list view: List describing all roles of a role model together with attributes and textual explanation.
  4. Semantic view: Describes meaning of roles and relationships between roles.
  5. Collaboration view: Describes patterns of roles and message paths.
  6. Interface view: Describes all messages that can be sent along a message path.
  7. Scenario view: Provides a sample sequence of messages flowing between roles.
  8. Process view: Describes data flow between roles and associated activities performed by the roles.
  9. State diagram view: For each role, the legal states can be described together with messages that trigger transitions.
  10. Method specification view: Describes what messages to send for each method belonging to a role. May also specify procedures to perform.
OOram suggests a varied mix of formal and informal notations and languages for representing and communicating models. Which view to use depends upon the needs in a particular situation.