Objectory

Objectory was a software tool developed by the Swedish company Objectivity Inc. (later acquired by Rational Software, which was then acquired by IBM). It was one of the early object-oriented analysis and design (OOAD) tools, emerging in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Objectory was designed to support the entire software development lifecycle, with a particular focus on the analysis and design phases.

The tool was based on the Objectory methodology, which was developed by Ivar Jacobson. This methodology emphasized the use of use cases as a central concept for capturing system requirements and driving the design process. Objectory provided a graphical environment for creating and managing various diagrams, including use case diagrams, class diagrams, sequence diagrams, and state transition diagrams. Its aim was to enable developers to model complex systems in an object-oriented manner, facilitating better understanding, communication, and reuse of software components.

Objectory played a role in the popularization of object-oriented principles and methodologies. Its integration into the Rational Unified Process (RUP) after the acquisition of Objectivity by Rational Software meant that its underlying principles and some of its features continued to influence subsequent software development tools and practices, even as the standalone Objectory product evolved or was superseded. The emphasis on use cases and integrated modeling for the entire lifecycle was a significant contribution to the field of software engineering.