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An excursion in Oxford, with pattern and QWAN

Working group 300 minutes

Sharing thoughts on the influence of Christopher Alexander

Martine Devos

The pattern work of Christopher Alexander, architect and controversial thinker in the field of human use of space, has inspired similar thoughts in the field of information systems. CA captured the imagination of a section of the software development community. For some it was just inspiration, for others a useful metaphor. But some do study his work, searching for ideas that can help our community: improve design, analysis and organisation. Is it hype, good commerce, or is there more to it. We will not decide about that today, but we will have a closer look at less known work by Christopher Alexander.

Recently, C. Alexander worked to the concept of structure trying to offer evidence that it is the basis of beauty; this complements his long-held view that beauty and utility are inseparable (i.e., Ornament has Function). The pattern community is exploring some isomorphic relevance of this theory to software: how do patterns and centres map into the evolving structures of software systems?

  • Timeless Way of building
  • The Oregon Experiment
  • The Production of Houses
  • A New Theory of Urban Design
  • And the expensive "rugbook"l: A foreshadow of 21st century art - The color and geometry of very early Turkish carpets.

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    Martine Devos (martine.devos@eds.com)

    EDS Martine Devos is reuse and method consultant for EDS. She was director of the IS-department at the Belgian department of education (Argo) since 1992 and before has worked as teacher, as technical consultant and project leader to the Belgian Minister of Education and the Civil Service. As IS manager she introduced objects and she initiated, and co-ordinated the development of a framework and several applications using it. Her main focus is on the use of IS - and "softer software" - to support change programs and learning. Special interests are framework development, the use of patterns in organisation, the human side of IS and facilitating workshops. She participated in, and organised, several workshops and panels on System Envisioning, the use of creativity in requirements developing. She is program-chair of EuroPlop 2000.

    Topics

    Extra

    Jim Coplien will give a pub-talk about Nature of Order, the new work by Christopher Alexander and introduce us to some of CA's experiment

    Benefits

  • Participants learn about and/or share ideas about Christopher Alexander's works and ideas on patterns, pattern language and the theory of centers (the "rug" book and Nature of Order).
  • Participants will develop opinions about the applicability of the pattern discipline at different levels of interpretation, ranging from the codification of good practice to the relationship of geometry to beauty. We will also explore avenues for potential new software development styles based on those used in architecture, such as Construction On Site (as opposed to Prefabricated Housing).
  • They spend the Sunday afternoon looking around in Oxford, at carpets, reading quotes from books and looking at software.


    • They are invited to this walk by a pattern user (and occasional writer), "right-brainer" who gets more from Alexander than she wants to admit on an ordinary weekday.
    Session: Working group 300 minutes Level: not important
    Audience: Anybody who wants to learn about/discuss/share ideas about the more "controversial" ideas of Christopher Alexander

    Participants are encouraged to bring quotes from Alexander, poems related to Architecture, Software, Patterns, beauty... 

    		 Max 25

    Material

  • Colour pictures from the "rug" book
  • Quotes as hand-outs

    • Delivery

    Multi-coloured poster

    Format

  • Introduction
  • Lots of discussion, drawing, making pictures in town
  • Having fun - it is Sunday afternoon


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