NAME: Glossary CATEGORY: Pattern Language Structure
- CONTEXT:You are writing a pattern language that
involves terminology that may not be familiar to the Target Audience.
- PROBLEM: How do you clarify unfamiliar terminology in a
pattern language without interrupting the flow of the pattern?
- FORCES:
- Patterns may need
to use terminology that is unfamiliar to readers.
- Patterns should be
concise. Defining all terms within the pattern
description may make it hard to follow for those
familiar with the terminology..
- Expanding the
terminology elsewhere may require the reader to flip
pages often.
- Putting all the
definitions in one place makes it easier to find them.
- SOLUTION:Provide a glossary of terms as part of the pattern language. The glossary gathers terms that
are used in multiple
patterns within the language with definitions of the terms. If you feel that it is essential to have the definition handy, you may include
a short definition of the term in a footnote as well.
- RATIONALE: A glossary collects terminology from multiple patterns in one place, thereby making the patterns
more
concise. The definitions make the patterns understandable by people unfamiliar with the terminology. Glossaries are a proven technique
used in many written publications to achieve the same purpose.
- DIAGRAM:
