Crimson Reason

A site devoted mostly to everything related to Information Technology under the sun - among other things.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Constructal Theory

The constructal theory is the mental viewing that the generation of design (configuration, pattern, geometry) is covered by the Constructal Law: "For a finite-size (flow) system to persist in time (to live), its configuration must evolve such that it provides easier access to the imposed currents that flow through it."

More than 20 years ago, many object-oriented programmers were inspired by the writings of Christopher Alexander in the field of Architecture (see, for example, "A Pattern Language") to look for recurring patterns in programming. The result was"Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software".

The Constructal Law speaks of "easier access" to "currents that flow". This is an apt metaphor for many (enterprise) software systems in which data flows among a diversity of sub-systems. Perhaps the ideas of Constructal Theory may be applied to software construction - specially enterprise software.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Absolutely.

This idea was in fact discussed at the NATO workshop "Constructal Human Dynamics, Security and Sustainability" in May 2008.

See also Chapter "Constructal Patterns in Air Traffic Flows and in Sustainable Information Systems" which addresses this issue in this book: http://www.iospress.nl/loadtop/load.php?isbn=9781586039592

More info here: http://www.constructal.org/

May 1, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Anonymous said...

Yes,

and in addition there was this great article in 2003 about the relevance of the constructal law to software and design in general:

http://www.automatesintelligents.com/labo/2003/dec/bejan.html

May 1, 2009 at 7:45 PM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

About Me

My photo
I had been a senior software developer working for HP and GM. I am interested in intelligent and scientific computing. I am passionate about computers as enablers for human imagination. The contents of this site are not in any way, shape, or form endorsed, approved, or otherwise authorized by HP, its subsidiaries, or its officers and shareholders.

Blog Archive