Exploiting reusable specifications through analogy

domain model representing critical determinants of the theater reservation/course administration analogy Objects in Objects in space space Monitor objects whenever one moves Cancelled allocations System should monitor object spaces to ensure only one object in any space Abstract domain model representing critical determinants of the air traffic control/flexible manufacturing analogydomain model representing critical determinants of the air traffic control/flexible manufacturing analogy FigUre 3. Abstract domain models representing critical determinants of the two example analogies. frequent mistake made by the relatively inexperienced software engineers in this study was to focus on surface, lexical properties of the reusable specification, whereas successful reuse requires comprehension of deeper analogous concepts. Analogies represented in abstract form proved easier to recognize, although once recognized, reuse of concrete specifications proved more effective. Reuse of concrete specifications supported by abstraction during analogical recognition is one scenario which may lead to effective specification