Formal Methods And Patterns

I think there are 3 ways in which there could be a fruitful interaction between ideas about patterns and about formal or rigorous techniques (compare FormalMethods).

FormalTreatmentOfDesignPatterns. The patterns in e.g. GOF can be seen as functions: Problem --> Solution, and each piece of design can be seen as a composition: Solution*Solution*... By analysing them this way, we could hope to improve our understanding of how to document and apply patterns, possibly how to translate them into generic designs or language features and maybe how best to catalogue and search for them.
PatternsOfModeling. Patterns can be applied to abstract models as well as end designs.
PatternsOfRefinement?. This is a specialization of design patterns, in which you start with a formal model.

-- AlanWills. I undertake to modify the above when and as persuaded by any ensuing debate.

If you understand WhyPatternsAreDifferent, you might worry that any attempt to formalize patterns lets people conveniently dodge the integrative, generative, and human aspects of patterns that contribute to the QualityWithoutAName. That is, formal methods try to give a name to the QualityWithoutAName, 'nuf said...

I'll advocate the formalization of patterns when society believes it is a good idea to formalize poetry beyond its form. -- JimCoplien

I wholeheartedly agree with Jim that any attempt to formalize the notion of patterns misses the boat, but I do think that there are things that can benefit from formalization IN patterns.

Ward has noted elsewhere in WikiWikiWeb that some of the coding patterns that used to be used in assembly language coding have now been put into compilers. That sort of growth from art to science over time will also take some of what's useful in certain patterns and move them into tools and formal methods over time.

The point is not to formalize the "pattern" per se. The point is to formalize what the pattern is referring to. Remember that the map is not the thing.

KyleBrown

Kyle -- could you give an example of what you mean? For example, when I look at http://csg.uwaterloo.ca/patterns.html, it doesn't strike any chords in me, and I think it is counter to what we want to achieve. Alexander said:

I was no longer willing to start looking at any pattern unless it presented itself to me as having the capacity to connect up with some part of this quality [the quality without a name]. Unless a particular pattern actually was capable of generating the kind of life and spirit that we are now discussing, and that it had this quality itself, my tendency was to dismiss it, even though we explored many, many patterns.

-- StephenGrabow?, "Christopher Alexander: The Search for a new paradigm."

That URL just falls short on "life" and "spirit."