Are Flexible Modeling Tools Applicable to Software Design Discussions ?

We have been developing an approach to modeling which we call flexible modeling. Our aim is to support the work of prerequirements analysts whose activities are characterized by informal use of representations and evolution of both representations and concepts. However, we believe that the features of flexible modeling tools have more general applicability to tasks involving conceptual development. Furthermore we believe that design is such a task. This paper investigates whether the characteristics that make flexible modeling useful and usable for the work of pre-requirements analysis might also make it a good approach for supporting the kinds of discussion that take place around a whiteboard in the early phases of a software design project. Keywords-flexible modeling; design discussions; concerns

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