NAME: Mandatory Elements present
CATEGORY: Pattern Structure and Sematics
- PROBLEM: How do you make sure that all necessary information
is covered in a pattern?
- CONTEXT: You are writing a pattern, either standalone or
as part of a pattern language.
- FORCES:
- All patterns do not require the same kinds of information to
be effectively communicated. Capturing all
elements regardless of need only clutters many patterns.
- For a pattern to be truly useful, it must have a minimum set of
essential information. These information
elements are required to allow patterns to be found when required and to be applied when applicable.
- If the necessary elements are missing, it becomes much
harder to determine whether the pattern solves
the reader's problem in an acceptable way.
- There is no single correct style or template for patterns;
trying to impose one could stifle creativity and
get in the way of effective communication.
- SOLUTION:
Include the following Mandatory Elements in the pattern.
- Diagram ( my addition.. this section basiclly gives the reader an idea of the pattern and could result in
generatinginterest in the pattern
- DIAGRAM:
Figure 2: Relationships Between Pattern Elements.
- RATIONALE: In the many patterns that have
been written since The Timeless Way of Building [Alexander79] and A Pattern Language [Alexander77] were
first published, these mandatory
elements have been found to be the minimum information required to effectively communicate a pattern.
