Design Refactoring

Definition

Design refactoring is the design task during which the design is refactored.

Objectives

The typical objectives of design refactoring are to:

• Improve the understandability of the design.
• Improve the usability of the design.
• Improve the maintainability of the design.
• Indirectly improve the quality of the design.

Preconditions

Design refactoring can typically begin when the following preconditions hold:

• The database team, software development team, and user experience team are staffed and trained in design refactoring.
• Designs exist that would be improved by refactoring them.
• Related design defects have been observed.

Completion Criteria

Design refactoring is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• Designs have been successfully refactored.

Steps

Design refactoring typically involves the appropriate design teams performing the following steps in an iterative, incremental, and parallel manner:

• Understand the design defect to be eliminated via refactoring.
• Identify the relevant refactoring design pattern.
• Apply the refactoring design pattern to eliminate the defect.
• Evaluate the refactored design to ensure that defect has been eliminated.

Techniques

Design refactoring can typically be performed using the following techniques:

• Design patterns.
• Data Replication

Work Products

Design refactoring typically results in the production of the following work products in an iterative, incremental, parallel, and time-boxed manner:

• Refactored Models:
  • Class Responsibility Collaborator Cards
  • Object Models
  • State Models
• Refactored Design Documentation:
  • Database Design Document
  • Human Interface Design Document
  • Javadoc
  • Software Design Document

  Guidelines

  • TBD

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