Frameworks and patterns for synchronous groupware: AMF-C approach

Abstract

Frameworks and design patterns are emerging technologies in software engineering. They increase software quality in terms of reusability, modularity and extensibility. Synchronous groupware can benefit of these new technologies. This article describes AMF-C, a multiagent model which structures each agent with a various number of facets, and two associated frameworks. Indeed, a cooperative application can use either a fragmented framework (facets are dispatched into the network) or a replicated one (each agent is totally replicated). Design patterns are identified for the definition and the interconnection of facets. In this last case, an expressive graphical formalism is used to wire control components. The design and implementation tasks are largely reduced and mainly rely on a good choice and combination of patterns. Finally, we introduce the associated tools and methodology that holds great promise in addressing the design issues.