Template-based development promising, but not a snap - developing software with industry-specific templates

Software Magazine, June, 1994 by Janet Butler

People the Deciding Factor

Andersen's Sarsany believes the benefits of using templates outweigh the disadvantages. "There's a lot of power in sharing," he said. The true advantage of a template lies not in the system itself, he said, but in the way it is used.

Other moves into the template arena are coming from some unlikely places. For example, relational database leader Oracle Corp., Redwood Shores, Calif., is taking a crack at the template industry with a new organization formed in 1993. Oracle Industries combines industry-specific expertise with Oracle's database, development tools and applications technology.

Oracle Industries' objective is to create a respository of tested, reusable modules that provide a significant "jump start" in the creation of industry-specific solutions. The modules will focus on nine industries: pharmaceuticals, oil and gas/petrochemicals, utilities, health care, financial services, retail, public sector, higher education and telecommunications.

In this effort, Oracle developed a utilities template in conjunction with Pacificorp, Portland, Ore. The template, based on Oracle's Cooperative Development Environment, uses Case and object-based models and templates to provide reusable object class libraries specific to utilities.

Based on the template, Oracle recently contracted with Duke Power Co. of Charlotte, N.C., to develop an object-based CIS. The contract includes a joint marketing program whereby Oracle will resell utility-specific systems templates developed during the project.

As with most technology change, the success of template-based development will probably come down to people issues. According to MIT's Hofman, templates may make it easier for departments to adopt different development techniques. Instead of presenting a radically different approach, templates incorporate a Case tool and benefit from such methods as rapid application development (RAD).

However, she added, "I'm not sure [companies] realize the strong repercussions. The change is more fundamental than appears on the surface in the way people think about a system. [When you] talk about reuse at the design level, it's a really different way to design a system."

According to MIT's Rockart, the template field is growing and will keep growing. How large will depend on whethe Case vendors can make Case tools easier to work with, and whether they can work on multiple platforms, he said.

Growth in the templates field also depends on how fast object technology evolves. With object orientation, said Rockard, "we could snap applications together. Everyone could buy objects and put [systems] together themselves."

MetaSolv's Fleming predicted that future application development environments, both in IS organizations and softwawre houses, will consist of component builders, and assemblers of these components. As with building blocks, he said, the creativity comes from how the components are combined. However, he added, while "the industry has finally recognized the reuse as a critical element to success, there's still a lot of refinement necessary; it's a long way before snap-together software."