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Lesson 1

Advantages of the Object-Oriented Approach and Analysis

This module discusses some more specific benefits of the object-oriented approach.
Understanding these benefits will give you the motivation you need to take the extra time an object-oriented analysis requires.
You will will learn:
  1. How the object-oriented approach simplifies analysis
  2. How the object-oriented approach facilitates reuse
  3. How the object-oriented approach makes teamwork more feasiblem
Using an object-oriented approach to your software reduces bugs, which makes managers happy, but it is also a lot more fun for the developers involved.

Way of Thinking

I contend that learning OO concepts is not accomplished by learning a specific development method or a set of tools. Performing tasks in an OO manner is a way of thinking.This webiste is all about the OO thought process.
Separating the methods and tools from the OO thought process is not easy and many people are introduced to OO concepts via one of these methods or tools. For example, in the past most C programmers were first introduced to object orientation by migrating directly to C++ before being exposed to OO concepts. Other software professionals were first introduced to object orientation by presentations that included object models using UML, again, before they were even exposed directly to OO concepts. It is not unusual to find that programming books and courses defer OO concepts until later in the learning process.
It is important to understand the significant difference between learning OO concepts and using the methods and tools that support the paradigm.

UML Object Oriented Design

Software Development

Software development is dynamic and always undergoing major change. The methods and tools will differ significantly from those currently in use. We can anticipate which methods and tools are going to succeed, but we cannot predict the future. Today a vast number of tools and methodologies are available for systems development.
Systems development refers to all activities that go into producing an information systems solution.
Systems development activities consists of
  1. systems analysis
  2. modeling,
  3. design
  4. implementation,
  5. testing, and
  6. maintenance.
A software development methodology is a series of processes that leads to the development of an application. The software processes describe how the work is to be carried out to achieve the original goal based on the system requirements. The software development process will continue to exist as long as the development system is in operation. Object-oriented systems development methods differ from traditional development techniques in that the traditional techniques view software as a collection of programs (or functions) and isolated data.