Software Design 2e - DIM

chapter 19441Whither Software Design?19.1 What is software now? 19.3 Improving knowledge19.2 Codifying design knowledge transferIn drawing together the ideas of the preceding chapters, this final chapterseeks to ‘stand back’ a little, and to consider how software design practicesmight evolve in the future. We begin by considering how far thechanges in the form of software that have occurred through the 1990sand 2000s, and particularly the emergence of distributed networkedsystems, require corresponding changes to our thinking about design.Our main conclusion is that this is probably more a matter of embracingan extended interpretation of system structures than one that requiresradical changes. We then review the ways in which design knowledge iscurrently codified for use and transfer, and consider how much furtherpresent forms might be able to evolve, and where particular limitationsare becoming evident. Finally, we consider the longer-term needs of thefuture, and try to identify how we might improve our ability to capture,share and disseminate software design knowledge.