Aspect-oriented modeling (AOM) is emerging as a relatively mature paradigm in software design. This paper, which summarizes and critiques existing work in the field, is recommended reading for software designers who use or are considering using AOM.

At 59 pages, the paper is long enough to provide a useful survey and develop justifiable conclusions. As is expected from a respected ACM publication, the paper is clearly written. Some prior knowledge is assumed. The paper does not provide an initial introduction to the field, and readers who are unfamiliar with AOM will need to consult additional resources.

To establish a baseline communication platform with the reader, the authors describe previous surveys in the area, a conceptual reference model, and the evaluation framework used in the survey. The next 17 pages describe and evaluate in some detail eight AOM approaches. The paper ends with lessons learned from the survey, concluding remarks, and the outlook for further work.

In summary, professionals involved in the design of software applications who are interested in AOM should read this paper.