Designing Databases Using the Activity Paradigm

The aim of this work concerns the specification of a methodology for designing databases using the active object concept to best represent the dynamic of an information system. Two strong notions are introduced: the sensitivity and the reaction of an active object. We propose to classify real world objects following two categories: i) the structural active object that describes an object offering services when requested and reacts to database events produced in its environment and ii) the service active object that represents an activity of the information system. These two categories correspond to structuring, communication and processing aspects that constitute fundamental features of an information system. This paper also presents the characterization and the semantic of these objects through a model. Later a methodology to design new databases starting from the message flow of an organization is presented.