Current Research

Information System Development by Business Objects

Research Overview

Information systems such as Internet shopping using Web technologies and system collaboration between enterprises have become quite commonplace. Strong technology and methodology must be used to rapidly construct a high-quality information system. One approach utilizes component-based and reusable software engineering technology. Today many successful information systems use this technology, including J2EE, Web Services, and SOA. However, understanding such component-based and reusable software engineering technology with only these methods is not easy. To efficiently master this technology, additional techniques or methods must be utilized : (1) components design technique, (2) components maintenance technique, (3) and a technique to identify and retrieve the correct component for user requirements and to adapt the retrieved component for specific requirements.

We've performed research for a design and system development method to efficiently develop an information system with this component-based and reusable software engineering technology.

These activities are studied as a course for business and academic collaboration. Our research object focuses on the problem, which may happen in an actual business information system environment.

Research Theme

(1) Business object extraction

Effective and plain expression is important for business requirements, especially since system developers and users both face them. Our main research objective applies business objects to business modeling and then assembles them into an Information System.

(2) Developing an environment for Information Systems using business objects or components

Productivity improvement can be expected using well-maintained software components. For example, some of our research is studying a system development environment that can effectively construct an Information System by assembling business components using least information, such as screen state transitions.

(3) Research on a software component maintenance and retrieval system

To create worthwhile component-based, reusable software engineering technology, efficient retrieving infrastructure is needed. By accumulating not only software component information but also information of actual cases that could use the software components of this infrastructure, we can expect more effective results.
This research studies which software component information should be maintained and how to effectively select software components.

(4) GUI modeling and screen generation

Various programming languages are used to generate a screen on the web system. New screen generation language creation is possible along with terminal diversification, such as future cellular phones. If we can generate a screen-generating program from an abstracted screen definition model that does not depend on a programming language, productivity improvement of software development can be expected. We have researched such an abstracted screen definition model.