Clarity and explicitness of Artifact Design definition

[gregfowlerphd]

The definition reads:

A Directive Information Content Entity that is a specification of an object, manifested by an agent, intended to accomplish goals, in a particular environment, using a set of primitive components, satisfying a set of requirements, subject to constraints.

Notice that there are seven clauses following ‘that’. While it’s clear that the first clause (‘is a specification of an object’) is intended to describe the Directive ICE itself, its not entirely clear what the other clauses are intended to describe. Many at least seem intended to describe the object specified by the Directive ICE (including ‘intended to accomplish goals’ and ‘in a particular environment’). It would be nice to formulate the definition in such a way that what each clause is intended to describe is clear and explicit.

(Sidenote: I also find the phrase ‘manifested by an agent’ at least a bit obscure, but maybe that’s just me.)