Separation of concerns Principle ( From wikipedia )

In computer science, separation of concerns (SoC) is the process of breaking a computer program into distinct features that overlap in functionality as little as possible. A concern is any piece of interest or focus in a program. Typically, concerns are synonymous with features or behaviors. Progress towards SoC is traditionally achieved through modularity and encapsulation, with the help of information hiding. Layered designs in information systems are also often based on separation of concerns (e.g., presentation layer, business logic layer, data access layer, database layer).

All programming paradigms aid developers in the process of improving SoC. For example, object-oriented programming languages such as C++, Java, and C# can separate concerns into objects, and a design pattern like MVC can separate content from presentation and data-processing (model) from content. Service-oriented design can separate concerns into services. Procedural programming languages such as C and Pascal can separate concerns into procedures. Aspect-oriented programming languages can separate concerns into aspects and objects.

Separation of concerns is an important design principle in many other areas as well, such as urban planning, architecture and information design. The goal is to design systems so that functions can be optimized independently of other functions, so that failure of one function does not cause other functions to fail, and in general to make it easier to understand, design and manage complex interdependent systems. Common examples include using corridors to connect rooms rather than having rooms open directly into each other, and keeping the stove on one circuit and the lights on another.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_concerns