ORIENTMAN: an intelligent tutor for the ORIENT software development methodology

The paper presents ORIENTMAN, an Intelligent Tutoring System that teaches the ORIENT methodology for object-oriented analysis and design. This methodology has already been implemented in the ORIENT CASE toolset, which was designed to support and automate the system development process using a complete (from analysis to construction-generation) object-oriented approach. ORIENTMAN has been developed using GENITOR, an ITS generator that supports the design, implementation, evaluation and revision of ITSs that specialise in methodology training. It is a stand-alone training application that combines the features of a computer coach and a gaming environment in simulation-based training. It guides the trainees through a three-stage training cycle: the first stage trains them, with the use of an expert system, in the structure of the ORIENT methodology; the second stage presents, under the control of another expert system, supporting and explanatory information on the application of the methodology; and the third stage supports the self-evaluation of the acquired skills. ORIENTMAN has already been put in use, with encouraging results, as a companion training tool that will help ORIENT users in understanding and applying the ORIENT methodology.