Uml Process Paper

UML

Introduction to the use of the Language

Cesar Campana

MMIS 630

Graduate Student, Nova Southeastern University

School of Computer and Information Sciences

Abstract

Universal Modeling language is a standard language for specifying, visualizing, constructing and documenting the artifacts of software systems, as well as for business modeling and other non-software systems. The language represents a collection of best engineering practices that have been proven successful in the model of large and complex systems. This work is oriented to improve the understanding and use of the Universal Modeling Language in the design and modeling of a software project.

Table of Contents

1) Introduction

2) Objectives

3) Concepts of UML

4) Construction blocks

5) Architecture

6) Lifecycle

7) Example Case

8) Conclusion

9) References

Introduction

Since the beginning of computers, industry and professionals have been looking different ways to represent the designs in a personal way or with a graphic model. The lack of standardization in the graphic representation of certain models did not let the graphic designs to be share between different designers. This was the principal objective of UML or Universal Modeling language.

This is the language for software modeling more popular today. This is the International Standard approved for the OMG (Object Management Group) [1], consortium created in 1989, responsible of the creation, development and revision of the software Industry.

UML is a group of specifications object oriented which are formed for different diagrams. Those diagrams represent the different stages of the development of a software project.

The first version of UML was offered to be converted in 1997 in an OMG's project standard. The OMG propose different changes and a new version from UML were adopted in November 1997. Since that date there have been several revisions from the OMG Revision Task Force. Now there are several improvements to add new diagrams to the standard.

The second version, UML 2.0 was complete at the end of 2004. The OMG propose two objectives that could be consider really influential at the end of this version. The first one, make the modeling language more extensible than it was. The second one, allow the validation and implementation of models created using UML.

The major upgrade in UML 2.0 are the Nested classifiers, Improved Behavioral Modeling an d Improved relationships between Structural and behavioral models.

The industry is advancing and the computer systems are in a constant change, this will push to improve the current modeling tools. [2]

Objectives

* Explain the concepts of UML

* Develop the design of a small software project explaining the UML process

* Identify in the design the different kind of diagrams like Class Diagrams, Use Diagrams, Packages, Interaction and sequence diagram and the State transition diagram.

Concepts of UML

UML is the first method in publish a metamodel in its own notation, including the notation for most of the information from requirements, analysis and design. It's a self referential metamodel.

This is a standard that is used to visualize, specify, build and document all the diagrams from a computer system. It can be use from modeling from Information Systems to Distributed Application Web based.

UML is a language; their diagrams convert it in an important part that belongs to the method of software development. It is independent from the process. For maximum optimization, it should be addressed by a use case, centralized in the architecture, interactive and incremental.[3]

This is a language that provides a vocabulary and several rules to use it. This is a modeling language what means that the vocabulary and the rules are used for a conceptual and physical representation of the system.

UML help to interpret big systems with graphic or even with text obtaining explicit models that help the communication in the development. For been a standard, the models could be interpreted for people that did not have any participation in the design of the project. In this matter, UML is used to specify not ambiguous and complete concrete models.

UML could be connected directly to C++, Java or Visual Basic, this is what is known as direct engineering (obtaining the source code thought the models) but besides that is possible to rebuild a model since the implementation. This is call inverse engineering. [4]

UML provides the capability to modeling project planning activities, express requirements and test over the system. Represent the details like their own architecture. With these capabilities is obtained documentation that will be valid during the lifecycle of the project. [5]

Construction Blocks

UML is composed of three basic elements. Construction blocks, rules and several common mechanism. The element interact each other to give UML the capability of not been ambiguous.

The construction blocks are divided in 3 different parts:

1. Elements, first level abstraction.

2. Relations, linking the elements between them.

3. Diagrams that are group of elements.

The Elements are divided in 4 sections:

1. Structural Elements.

2. Behavioral Elements.

3. Grouping Elements

4. Annotation Elements [6]

The relations are divided to include possible interactions between elements that can be shown when time to model is using UML, those are:

1. Dependency relationship