Introduction to Unified Modeling Language (UML)

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Introduction to Unified Modeling Language (UML)

• Professor Jason Chen
• School of Business Administration
• Gonzaga University
• Spokane, WA 99258

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Methods vs. Modeling Languages

• A model has its purpose of structuring our
  thoughts
• A method
• is an explicit way of structuring ones thinking
  and actions
• tells us
• What to do
• How to do it
• When to do it
• Why its done

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Method, Modeling Language and Process


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Process vs. Method

• A process is a group of activities that, if done
  correctly, will achieve an explicit goal.
• A method, in contrast, is normally also
  considered as a set of related activities, but
  without explicit goals, resources, and rules.

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What is a Process?
ltltUtilizegtgt
Humans, computers tools, Information
What to do, How to do it, When to do it, Why it
should be done
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What is a Process?
Software Development Process CONTEXT, USER, STEPS
VALUE
ltltUtilizegtgt
Documentation, Products, Models etc.
Humans, computers tools, Information
A process is a group of activities that, if done
correctly, will achieve an explicit goal.
What to do, How to do it, When to do it, Why it
should be done
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Methods vs. Modeling Language
How symbols should look
Syntax
Reality
How symbols are combined
(Spelling)
Semantics what each symbol means
(meaning)
Pragmatic intentions of symbols used
Software System
(Aspects)
Rules
Represent
Models
Notations
Expressed in
Generating
Modeling Language
Method
Help
Process
Document
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Analysis vs. Design Oriented
Analysis-Oriented
Design-Oriented






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What is the UML?

• UML is only a modeling language without a process
• it is a lot easier to comprehend than a natural
  language
• Most modeling languages cover only syntax and
  semantics
• Pragmantics is a bit difficult to decide since it
  cant be formalized it can only act as a
  guideline.

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UML (conti.)

• The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a
  graphical language for visualizing, specifying,
  constructing, and documenting the artifacts of a
  software-intensive systems.

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What does UML give you?

• The UML gives you a standard way to write a
  systems blueprints covering conceptual things,
  such as business processes and system functions,
  as well as concrete thins, such as classes
  written in a specific programming language,
  database schemas, and reusable software
  components.

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How Applicable of UML?

• The UML is applicable to anyone involved in the
  production, deployment, and maintenance of
  software.

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What is Visual Modeling?

• VISUAL MODELING is a way of thinking about
  problems using (graphical) models organized
  around real-world idea.
• UML is a product of VISUAL MODELING language.

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Models are useful for ..

• understanding problems,
• communicating with everyone involved with project
  (customer, domain experts, analysts, designers,
  etc.)
• modeling enterprise,
• preparing documentation, and
• designing programs and databases

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Objectives of the Modeling

• Modeling promotes
• better understanding of requirements,
• cleaner designs, and
• more maintainable systems.

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What is a Good Model?

• A model is good when
• it is a relevant model
• it is possible to communicate
• it fits its purpose
• it captures the essentials

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1. it is a relevant model

• a relevant model captures the important aspect of
  whatever is being studied.

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2. it is possible to communicate

• a good model should be easy to communicate, have
  an explicit goal, be easy to maintain, be
  consistent , and have integrity. Issues such as
  name conventions and model coordination/integratio
  n should be enforced.

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3. it fits its purpose

• a good model should have an explicit purpose that
  everybody using it recognizes.

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4. it captures the essentials

• a good model should be able to capture the
  essence of the business (the core) and model
  around those core concepts, and to be able to
  handle changes properly (not just involves and
  /or creates documents.)

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Business and Modeling Environment
Examples
Model
Meta-Data
Invoice
Core/Essence
Data
Debt
Furniture Store
Reality
Business
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Business and Modeling Environment
Examples
Model
Meta-Data
Invoice
Core/Essence
Data
Debt
Furniture Store
Reality
Business
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Other Problems?

• No matter which method and modeling language have
  been used, there are other problems.
• When we make the models and we become a part of
  business. Therefore, other problems should be
  taken into consideration internal politics,
  social patterns, informal structure, and power
  surrounding the customers.

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A System Model for UML
System
Model
Implementation
Deployment
Design
Analysis
Model
Model
Model
Model
Physical Architecture
A system is described in several models
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• Analysis functional requirements
• Design working technical solutions
• Implementation source code
• Deployment description of how the system is
  deployed
• UML is phase independent and it is a modeling
  language (NOT a method)
• Tool vendors now can spend more time improving
  on the tools and less time on defining methods
  and languages.

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Development of Object Technology
UML
C, JAVA SmallTalk, etc.
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Ready for the Next Run?