Re: [AM] justify modeling (Why Model?)

Grady's statement is nicely pithy; it encapsulates several different
uses of modeling in one obvious phrase.  The principal uses of models
are:

- Exploration - using lightweight models to compare and contrast
approaches and look for problems

- Validation - using somewhat heavier models to run through required
scenarios to demonstrate that the proposed approach works

- Teaching - describing the design in a form that allows someone to
understand it and explore it

In some situations modeling can also support:

- Simulation - executable models can provide a deeper validation that
may uncover operational problems

- Analysis - methematical models may uncover throughput and other
performance problems

- Implementation - for at least some domains, models can drive code
generators directly

In all these cases the working premise is that the model is much cheaper
and quicker to produce than actual code and, therefore, allows you to
produce the design (both internal design and external design) in rapid
iterations.

scott

| From: Ken Ritchie<[email protected]>
| Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 20:19:32 -0500 (GMT-05
| 
| Grady Booch once wrote such an article, titled "Why Model?" 
| 
| "We build models so that we can better understand the system
| we are developing." --Grady Booch (Rational Software)
| 
| If you like reading PowerPoint summaries, there are slides here:
| faculty.weber.edu/brague/CS2750/ Presentations/ModelUML.ppt 
| I checked it out and it recaps many points from the article.
| 
| 
| "Modelling helps us to understand a complex artifact without having to build
| the artifact itself. More importantly, modelling may help us to understand a particular aspect
| of the artifact." --Peter Grogono (Comp. Sci. Professor in Canada)
| see  http://www.cs.concordia.ca/~grogono/SOEN341/341nt.pdf
| 
| 
| FYI, 
| Grady's article was printed in a hardcopy Rational mag. 
| I think it was prior to the advent of "The Rational Edge."
| I saved a copy. It was worth passing along to colleagues.
| Has anyone found a copy online?  
| 
| 
| cheers,
| --ken 
| 
| 
| -----Original Message-----
| From: Daniel Brenner <[email protected]>
| Sent: Jan 31, 2004 1:33 PM
| To: [email protected]
| Subject: [AM] justify modeling
| 
| Hi everybody,
| 
| yesterday I was searching the ML archive to find an answer to the
| question "why model at all?". I found a statement of Scott (Ambler since
| there are a lof of Scotts in the ML ;-) saying that "Kent Beck even
| talks about how creating sketches". Is that "the only" justification?
| (not that the other one isnt that bad...)
| 
| - Daniel
| 
| 
| Ken Ritchie
| Atlanta, GA
| 
| For more information about AM, visit the Agile Modeling Home Page at www.agilemodeling.com
| 
| 


-- 
scott preece
motorola urbana design center (il67), 1800 s. oak st., champaign, il  61820  
e-mail:	[email protected]	fax:	217-384-8550
phone:	217-384-8589	cell: 217-433-6114	pager: [email protected]

For more information about AM, visit the Agile Modeling Home Page at www.agilemodeling.com
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