Objects with roles

Abstract

The use of object-oriented conceptual models for modeling office applications and information systems is discussed. A model for describing object behavior based on the concept of role is presented. Roles allow one to describe different perspectives for object evolution. For each role, relevant characteristics such as role properties, role states, messages, and role-state transition rules and constraints are defined. The implications of considering several roles in parallel for an object are discussed, and a classification of possible role interactions is given.