Select Perspective is an object-oriented methodology developed in 1994-1995 by Select Software Tools. It is designed for modeling, development and maintenance of medium and large information systems. The methodology uses the standard Unified Modeling Language (UML) supplemented by Business Process Modeling - BPM and data structure modeling for which the UML language is not appropriate. The methodology is available in English in the form of on-line library called Process Mentor. Here are described in detail all phases of the project information systems development and here are also explained the tools for their modeling.
Methodology Select Perspective is based on the following basic principles:
- Linkage to the business is the most important feature and difference from other methodologies. In Select Perspective, it is always the first step in the analysis of the business processes. From this are based further analyses. Any change in business processes is reflected in their model and by direct binding to the structure of the information system.
- Component Based Development - CBD. The entire information system is composed of independent, reusable components. When developing a new system, we can use some ready-made components from previous projects. With the growing number of reusable components the cost of further development of the new information system decreases.
- Parallel development - due to component architecture, the development of individual components can run, to some extent, independently. The development of an information system can be operated several teams simultaneously.
- Iterative and incremental development
- Service Based Architecture, taken from the Microsoft Solution Framework (MSF)
Design of the information system consists of three phases:
- Align - arrangement of the business requirements for information system
- Architect - creating a component-oriented architecture
- Assemble - development of the information system
Use of the methodology in practice:
The objective of the first phase (Align) is capturing the links between business processes and information system. First, the analysis of business processes is done, in which the key functions that the system must contain, are identified. In the second phase (Architect) is decided for the information system architecture. The third phase (Assembly) is then engaged in the development and deployment of the nformation system.
Part of the methodology Select Perspective is also the package of modeling techniques abbreviated as LUCID (Linkage to the business; Use case model, Class model, Interaction model, Data model, Develop, Test & Deploy) that covers all three areas: UML, BPM and data modeling. Several different kinds of models are used, some of them are mandatory and some optional:
- Process Hierarchy Diagram represents a static view, which is used for graphical representation of relationships between business processes - the beginning of the analysis
- Process Thread Diagram shows the internal structure of the business processes
- Use Case Diagram shows the requirements for the key functions that must be contained witthin the information system
- Class diagram represents a static view of the structure of the information system
- Object Collaboration Model is a dynamic view of the object classes
- State Transition Diagram describes the behavior of the classes that have complex life cycle
- Object Sequence Diagram describes the communication between classes
- Table Relationships Diagram is used for data modeling
