Joining Forces: A RIPPL Effect? A Constraint-Oriented Perspective on a Pervasive Pattern Language

Creating a unified catalogue of patterns is challenging in any domain. Difficultly lies in representing relationships between patterns, compounded by natural growth as new patterns are discovered. Existing pattern languages successfully describe relationships in small collections of patterns, but this approach lacks a systematic process that will scale to a growing catalogue of patterns. RIPPL (relationship initiated pervasive pattern language) structures patterns and tensions in their tradeoffs and facilitates comparison and composition in terms of domain specific constraints. A case study applying the proposed methodology to two existing pervasive pattern languages reveals the ability to represent pattern relationships in a structured, systematic form that can scale across individual pattern languages.