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An Overview of RDM: Rational Design Methodology

  • Conference paper
The Use of Formal Specification of Software

Part of the book series: Informatik-Fachberichte ((INFORMATIK,volume 36))

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Abstract

The Rational Design Methodology (RDM) is a software design method that has been derived from a collection of concepts, models, and techniques taken from ten or more years of reaearch on programming methodologies. RDM unifies this work into a systematic method for design and documentation of sequential programs. The unique features of RDM are:

  • The combined use of data abstraction and Dijkstra’s constructive approach to program design.

  • The encapsulation of objects, their abstract data types and programs by an abstract machine.

  • The structure of program design as a hierarchy of abstract machines representing refinements of abstract data types.

In this paper, we present an overview of RDM through a set of principles for structuring, specifying, constructing, an proving the design of data objects, programs, and abstract machines. The techniques of RDM which support the application of these principals to the individual design problems are outlined. A notation is developed for documenting the structure, specification, and detailed design sufficient for readability and correctness proof. A simple example of a partial design is used to illustrate the notions of RDM.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Honeywell Corporate Technology Center, 10701 Lyndale Avenue South, Bloomington, Minnesota, 55420, USA

    D. L. Boyd & W. T. Wood

  2. Honeywell Information Systems, LISD, 13430 North Black Canyon Hwy., Phoenix, Arizona, 85017, USA

    A. Pizzarello

Authors
  1. D. L. Boyd
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  2. A. Pizzarello
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  3. W. T. Wood
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Honeywell Inc., Corporate Computer Sciences Center, 10701 Lyndale Ave South, 55420, Bloomington, MN, USA

    H. K. Berg

  2. Institut für Informatik - CAMP, Technische Universität Berlin, Einsteinufer 37, 1000, Berlin 10, Germany

    W. K. Giloi

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© 1980 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Boyd, D.L., Pizzarello, A., Wood, W.T. (1980). An Overview of RDM: Rational Design Methodology. In: Berg, H.K., Giloi, W.K. (eds) The Use of Formal Specification of Software. Informatik-Fachberichte, vol 36. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-67881-3_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-67881-3_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-10442-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-67881-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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