★ wanayoo — archive 1999 http://wdvl.internet.com/Authoring/Scripting/Tutorial/oo_design.html

Introduction to Object Oriented Design

Selena Sol

Introduction to Object Oriented Design

Well these days, everyone seems to be talking about Object-Oriented Design. Well what is it?
Object-Oriented design (OOD) is a programming methodology which has the following characteristics
- OOD allows programmers to more closely model the real world than ever before.
- OOD is also a methodology which lends itself well to rapid prototyping. Object-Oriented programs can be built and modified very quickly because OOD provides the programmer with excellent tools for abstraction.
- OOD produces reusable code. Once objects are built, it is very easy to use them in future applications so you need not ever reinvent the wheel.
- Finally, OOD helps programmers work in dynamic environments. Object-Oriented programs can be modified quickly and easily as real-world requirements change.
Let's look at what the guru of Java Object Orientation, Bruce Eckel has to say,
"Object-oriented programming appeals at multiple levels. For managers it promises faster and cheaper development and maintenance. For analysts and designers the modeling process becomes simpler and produces a clear, manageable design. For programmers the elegance and clarity of the object model and the power of object-oriented tools and libraries makes programming a much more pleasant task, and programmers experience an increase in productivity. Everybody wins, it would seem.
If there is a downside it is the expense of the learning curve. Thinking in objects is a dramatic departure from thinking procedurally, and the process of designing objects is much more challenging than procedural design, especially if you are trying to create reusable objects."
Okay, so that was pretty abstract. Let's step back and come at OOD from another perspective. Perhaps some history is in order.