Pattern Library Basics Design Patterns Research Group Knowledge

Pattern Library Basics Design Patterns Research Group

Knowledge capture and transfer • How do organizations record important information for later use? • How do they record information about design, including the design of processes? • This is part of the broad field of knowledge management • Pattern libraries are a tool for knowledge management

Knowledge capture and transfer Face to face • • Interviews Observation Apprenticeships Training Programs Documents • • Handbooks Policies & procedures Style manuals Project notes/records Minutes of meetings Regulations Design patterns Etc.

Applicable knowledge transfer situations • Doctors joining staff of a hospital • Engineers (etc. ) joining an ongoing project in their organization • Contributing to public knowledge by government agencies, non-profits, and companies promoting their skills. For example: Usability. gov (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services) • Label. Patterns. org

Design patterns and pattern libraries • What constitutes a design pattern? How does a pattern differ from other guidance? • What constitutes a pattern library (language, collection, etc. )? As a default we will talk about “pattern libraries”

What is a design pattern? • Design patterns are enhanced guidelines that follow a problem-solution structure • They employ standard components (drawn from a wide superset) • They address a design problem with no obvious solution (a heuristic problem). You don’t write a pattern for calculating the circumference of a circle). • Design problems pertain to both artifacts and processes.

What is a design pattern? • They are usually part of a library of design patterns

What is a pattern library? • A collection of patterns dealing with one general (or specific topic) • They exist in various media—print, web, wiki • They may be public or proprietary • Various means for finding desired patterns: – – Browse Database query Search Hyperlinking • Pattern libraries may contain other kinds of content

What is a pattern library? • Pattern libraries may contain other kinds of content

When are pattern libraries a worthwhile form of knowledge transfer? • Heuristic vs. algorithmic problems • Manageable complexity of problem space (sweet spot) • Reference function (non-linear access) Pattern library for for K-6 math? writing a novel? website design? consumer-information labels?