Characterization of aggregation

Abstract

Most popular object-oriented modeling techniques provide good support for the creation of structured conceptual models of system behavior and structure. A serious drawback of these techniques is that the concepts and notations used are loosely defined. This can lead to the creation of ambiguous models, and to disagreements over the proper use and interpretation of modeling constructs. An important modeling construct that is often loosely defined is aggregation. In this paper we present a characterization of aggregation that can help developers identify appropriate applications of the concept.