A process-oriented and content-based perspective on software components

Commercial software component models are frequently based on object-oriente d concepts and terminology (e.g. interfaces, classes, methods, messages, ev ents) with appropriate binding, persistence and distribution support. In th is paper, we argue that a process-oriented and content-based view on cooper ating software components based on the concepts and terminology of a langua ge/action perspective on cooperative work [41] (e.g. actors, roles, convers ations, speech acts, conversation histories) with a tight coupling between process- and content-model provides a more suitable foundation for defining software components in business applications. This especially applies to t he emerging fields of software for information brokers, value-adding servic es, digital libraries etc. We first explain the relationship between object -oriented and process-oriented component modeling, then describe our view o n component definition and finally illustrate it using two recently execute d industrial case studies. We also report on our experience gained in devel oping a class framework and a set of tools to assist in the systematic proc ess- and content-oriented development of business application components. I n particular, the paper addresses consistency checking of business componen ts based on temporal properties and consistency-preserving composition of p rocess fragments. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.