OOSE

OOSE stands for Object-Oriented Software Engineering, a software development methodology introduced in the early 1990s by Ivar Jacobson as part of the Objectory framework. It is characterized as use-case driven and object-oriented, aiming to guide the entire lifecycle of software development from user requirements to implementation through iterative refinement. The approach was described in the book Object-Oriented Software Engineering: A Use Case Driven Methodology (co-authored with Grady Booch and James Rumbaugh), which helped popularize use-case driven analysis and design within OO development.

Core ideas include a use-case driven approach to capture system behavior from the user perspective, identifying actors, goals, and scenarios; and translating use-case descriptions into object-oriented analysis and design, detailing conceptual classes, objects, their responsibilities, and collaborations. The lifecycle emphasizes iterative development, frequent stakeholder involvement, and early validation of requirements.

Typical artifacts and techniques include the use-case model (diagrams and narratives), the domain or conceptual model (class diagrams), design models (object design, sequence and collaboration diagrams), state transition diagrams, and CRC cards to capture class responsibilities and collaborations. The process often employs early modeling tools and is compatible with incremental testing and integration.

Influence and legacy: OOSE helped shape later OO methods, and its use-case driven emphasis informed the development of the Unified Modeling Language and iterative processes such as the Rational Unified Process. While newer methodologies have emerged, the use-case driven, object-oriented orientation remains a foundational concept in software engineering education and practice.

See also: Use case, Object-oriented analysis and design, UML, RUP.