Pattern : VISIBLE FORCES
- PROBLEM : A pattern presents a solution to a problem within a context. How do you ensure that the reader understands the
choice of solution?
- CONTEXT : You are writing a pattern or pattern language that is intended to convey one of potentially several solutions to a
problem. You have applied Mandatory Elements Present; you are now writing the Forces section.
- FORCES :
- There are many different styles of patterns, some more structured than others.
- People like to have convenient handles for concepts such as the forces which affect the choice of solution.
- Prose pattern descriptions can be very pleasing to read but may be hard to use as a reference because the forces are buried in the prose.
- Having a separate Forces heading makes the forces very easy to find but may make the pattern less pleasing
to read.
- Too much structure can impinge on the literary quality of a pattern.
- SOLUTION : Regardless of the style chosen for the pattern description, ensure that the forces are highly visible. This can be done
by defining a meaningful "name" for each force and visually setting if off from text by making them minor headings, or by highlighting them
using fonts, underlining, or other typographic techniques.
- EXAMPLES : This pattern language uses a "bullet list" within a Forces heading to make the forces visible.
