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Pathfinder Solutions is a privately held American software technology and expertise transfer company headquartered in Wrentham, Massachusetts. Pathfinder was founded by Peter Fontana in 1995 and is a leading provider of agile, model-based and test-driven techniques and technology. Pathfinder’s training and mentoring services are specialized for the systems engineering and software development of complex and high performance embedded real-time systems.

Pathfinder Solutions is a software methodology company that accumulates industry best practice from a range of software development aspects and refines those approaches to: (1) create a set of mutually supporting engineering techniques and disciplines; (2) build automation that supports and reinforces them; and (3) deliver them to customers through training, on-site mentoring and tools. Pathfinder’s proven technology, PathMATE, is an open, MDD transformation environment that automates development. Pathfinder’s more well-known clients include Abbott Laboratories, Battelle Memorial Institute, Boeing, E. F. Johnson, Ericsson, General Motors, GTE, Invensys/Foxboro, Lockheed Martin, Nortel, Polaroid, Raytheon and Textron Systems.

Agile Development
Agile software development methods focus heavily on the structure of development teams and management style, emphasizing close collaboration between the programmer team and business experts; face-to-face communication; frequent delivery of new deployable business value; tight, self-organizing teams; and ways to craft the code and the team such that the inevitable requirements churn was not a crisis. Agile methods allow for the gradual evolution of requirements and are based on iterative and incremental development.

Model-Driven Development
Model-Driven Development (MDD) is an integrated approach to architecting, developing, testing and deploying complex systems. When using a model-driven approach, software systems are documented and produced as models. Platform-Independent MDD incorporates key modeling and automation techniques specifically designed to meet the unique challenges of building complex and high performance embedded systems.

Systems Modeling
Systems Modeling is the disciplined construction of a model that serves as a central repository for the majority of systems engineering information for the system. This approach leverages multiple views into the model, aggregating information from a range of forms and sources, and leverages automation and standards to propagate this information as needed.

Test-Driven Development
Test-Driven Development (TDD) is a quality-focused, advanced object-oriented software development methodology widely used within the Agile community. This approach is unique in that it focuses more on design specification than on validation and it encourages the separation of both business and presentation logic.

PathMATE
Pathfinder’s Model Automation and Transformation Environment – PathMATE – was first released in 1996. PathMATE transforms platform independent models (PIMS) defined in UML to efficient, high-performance code. PathMATE is the only open, MDD transformation environment available.

PathMATE core technology is completely open and entirely based on open industry standards, and PathMATE is explicitly designed for customizability. Supported for embedded C, C++, and Java code generation, PathMATE’s Transformation Maps drive PIMS transformation into a range of outputs and documentation. Its premier spotlight feature verifies and debugs applications at the model level design phase, enabling faster development, a reduction in internal testing resources, and improved quality.

The History of PathMATE
Initially, PathMATE consisted of the open and extensible model transformation engine, rules/templates for generating C++ code and formatted MS Word reports, and a model-level debugging tool. Its initial release included a full integration with Popkin’s System Architect modeling tool while maintaining the original open PathMATE toolset architecture and keeping independence from the model editor, a characteristic maintained through to the present.

In 1997 the Object Management Group (OMG) released the Unified Modeling Language (UML) standard version 1.0. PathMATE’s next major release included UML support, defining a profile for best use of UML with PathMATE, specifying an executable subset of UML and refining key execution semantics. In this release PathMATE also introduced support for the OMG Standard Action Semantics, replacing the Shlaer-Mellor data flow diagrams with a textual action language to specify fine grained behavior in the models.

Pathfinder added Rational Rose and Artisan Real-Time Studio to the set of supported editors in 2000. In addition, Java code generation was added in 2000 and highly optimized C in 2001. In 2002 PathMATE broadened its UML profile, supporting Harel state chart semantics including transition and exit actions, composite states, history states, and unlabeled transitions.

Then 2003 saw advanced deployment configurations supporting multiple threads and processes in the generated systems. In addition, advanced capabilities were developed for automated testing in Spotlight, the model-level test and debug tool. In 2004 the transformation engine was re-hosted to integrate into Eclipse, the leading environment for software tool integration. Since PathMATE itself is an MDD system built of platform independent models, this extensive re-hosting from MS .NET to Eclipse, and C++ and C# to Java was actually reasonably straightforward. In addition, a PathMATE GUI was added to specifically manage the wide range of transformation, marking and deployment options afforded the user.

In 2005 PathMATE integrated with Rational Software Modeler, IBM Rational’s next generation UML editor. In addition, the tools were upgraded to support UML2.0. Again leveraging the flexibility of the core PathMATE architecture, this work was completed rapidly and passed IBM’s rigorous “Ready for Rational Software” certification process with flying colors. This certification made PathMATE one of the first toolsets of any kind to be certified in the new RSM/RSD environment.

IBM Rational positions PathMATE as the key technology for deploying high performance embedded systems from its RSM/RSD environment. Pathfinder continues to work within the OMG to define the standards supporting MDA, including the MOF Models to Text template language, Model-level Testing and Debugging, UML Profile for Real-time and Embedded Systems, XMI Conformance Certification Test Suite, and the Executable UML specifications.

By 2006 a series of refinements in the approach taught by Pathfinder Solutions were built into the latest revision of its modeling method, now termed Platform-Independent Model Driven Development (PI-MDD). Key aspects of this approach include the organization of logical architecture components by level of abstraction using the Axis of Abstraction, a streamlined approach to building coherent, complete and efficient behavioral strategies with Key Scenario Modeling and direct incorporation of custom Domain-Specific automation through Implicit Bridging. These refinements delivered dramatic improvements in customer business results, doubling overall development team productivity and boosting quality ten-fold within one year of adoption.

Key code generation technologies in PathMATE are now aggregated and refined into Self Optimization. This capability is unique to PathMATE, providing the unprecedented capability to automatically self-optimize the system’s implementation code as it is being generated. Aggressively leveraging key characteristics of the PI-MDD approach, including Platform-Independent Action Language (PAL), PathMATE takes advantage of the complete and easy access it has to all model details. This allows it to automatically generate system implementations that are streamlined and exquisitely optimized. Head-to-head performance tests by the JSSEO/SIAP program office revealed that PI-MDD systems generated from PathMATE were as much at 30 percent smaller and 70 percent faster than equivalent systems generated from an implementation-code-focused toolset.

As the Telelogic Rhapsody UML editor built a dominant position in the high performance systems development market, a PathMATE integration was created with this tool that utilizes the PI-MDD method. Today platform-independent models can be constructed with the popular Rhapsody modeling tool, delivering the resulting simplicities and efficiencies of the generated high performance systems. A 2007 Ericsson AB study showed that in a side-by-side comparison, PI-MDD models are approximately half as complex as models built with an implementation-code-focused modeling approach, delivering obvious gains in initial deployment, maintainability and concise generated system implementation. In recent years, Pathfinder Solutions has been invited to resell both the Telelogic products under the Telelogic Alliance Partner Program and the IBM Value-Added Reseller for Rational products, combining the convenience of simplified order and maintenance processes.

Partners and Industries
Pathfinder Solutions’ rigorous methods and advanced tools have been proven effective at addressing the unique challenges faced in the following industries:
 * Defense and Avionics
 * Automotive
 * Medical Instrumentation
 * Manufacturing
 * Telecommunications
 * Consumer Electronics

IBM
Pathfinder Solutions is certified as an Authorized seller of IBM Rational software at the elevated level of IBM’s new Software Value Plus initiative. Pathfinder’s PathMATE is the only MDD solution that integrates with IBM Rational editing environments and offers real-time and other high performance software developers the control and performance they need to automate and test the production of applications in real-time or constrained environments.

Sparx Systems
Pathfinder Solutions is a Sparx Systems Global partner training consultant. As a Training Consultants, Pathfinder offers packages in how to get the most out of Enterprise Architect and training in UML modeling as well as other domains.