ABSTRACT
In order to incorporate domain information into our design, we need a systematic way of searching for this information: asking the right kinds of questions, and storing these relationships in a way that we can use later. We need to know that we have covered different kinds of constraints and have achieved the adequate breadth of coverage. Rasmussen (1985) proposed a framework for understanding work domain constraints that he termed the “Abstraction Hierarchy.” The Abstraction Hierarchy is the key tool in performing a Work Domain Analysis (WDA). A WDA consists of an Abstraction Hierarchy done at various levels of detail. A Part-Whole Hierarchy determines these levels of detail. In this chapter, we work through the following ideas, defining a system boundary around a system of interest, the basics of an Abstraction Hierarchy, and using an Abstraction Hierarchy along with a Part-Whole Hierarchy to complete a full work domain model. At the end of the chapter we discuss models with social constraints, managing large models, and some ways of double-checking and testing your work domain model for completeness.
