Business Domain Modelling with Business Archetypes and Archetype Patterns

We present business archetypes and archetype patterns based methodology for modelling of business domains. Business domain model (e.g. in health care, banking, transportation, etc.) describes universe of discourse of business without any reference to the software requirements or to the design to any software system. Business archetype is an abstract model describing some common term that consistently and universally occurs in business domains and in business software systems. Business archetype pattern is collaboration between business archetypes. Product, process, party, party relationship, inventory, order, quantity and rule archetype patterns are members of this archetype patterns framework. We exemplify the usefulness of this framework of business archetypes and archetype patterns by utilizing it in development of clinical laboratory domain model and of clinical laboratory information management system (LIMS) software based on this domain model. In software development we follow the software engineering triptych - from domain modelling via requirements constructing to design and implementation of software. In our understanding the domain modelling with archetypes and archetype patterns complements Bjorner's domain facets based domain analysis methodology and results in more flexible, customizable, reliable and interoperable software.