The Use of UML tools....

[SamJolly]

Bu66le has started a very interesting discussion in "How to convince my boss? " on usage of UML with the reference to Craig Larman's note. As it was slightly tangential to the original point , and important I have opened a new topic on it.

My attraction to UML and a good process is the attraction of focus on requirements management and design which is decoupled from implementation. So many times in the past I have experienced requirements and design evolving in the coding leading to spaghetti resulting in decreased robustness, maintenance difficulties and increased enhancement times due to badly thought out architecture.

A formal process/UML approach enables/forces one to develop a comprehensive understanding of the domain before comitting to code. My backgorund is in ER modelling and we always spent a lot of time creating the ER Model, and then from this forward engineering the physical database. This was brilliant. Why should application design be different???

So my vision, and probably question, is why can one not aim to use a tool such as EA to do a comprehensive design and use this to forward engineer an application?

Therefore I would be looking to model the UI (Class diagrams??), Application layer (Class diagrams etc.) and Data Layer (Class diags...)

Also how can one enhance component reuse via a tool such as EA. For example Select Component Factory (www.selectbs.com) enables cataloging and resuse. This would enable one to have a catalogue of pretested components with documented interfaces, ready and and waiting for use.

Another question to ask is where does Service Oriented Development Architecture (SODA) fit into this? I have been prototyping an XML declarative approach for orchestrating Component services such as ADO, Forms, Email etc. to implement application logic with success. The XML is very much STEPS and ACTIVITIES so not much different to activity diagrams. Does EA's forward engineering template functionality have a role here.

Sorry about all the words, but I am passionate about the potential of UML/Process and related technologies to create applications more quickly and effectively.

Any opinions really appreciated.

Sam

[mikewhit]

I am passionate about the potential of UML/Process

But as we know, UML is all about Model(l)ing and nothing about Process !

The so-called RU"P" is not a well-defined process to arriving at an implementation, more like "model a bit here, model a bit there"; in certain respects I'm happier with the Shlaer-Mellor approach where every stage has well-defined outcomes and a methodology.

From personal preference I would like to take a classic V-model-like approach, in order to ensure itemised coverage of requirements and coverage by tests [i.e. link this Requirement to all elements responsible; link this Test Case to all design elements and Requirements validated; link this design element to all Test Cases that validate it], but EA does not give a good intuitive view of these two aspects, or at least I haven't come up with a way of doing this yet (as you might have seen from my other posts - sorry!).

But EA does seem impressive for most other purposes, and is steadily improving all the time. I just hope there are enough purchasers of EA to keep paying for the staff to keep on with all these features - roll on Build 740 !!

[thomaskilian]

From personal preference I would like to take a classic V-model-like approach, in order to ensure itemised coverage of requirements and coverage by tests ...

German goverment has recently published a new V-model based on UML (only in german http://www.kbst.bund.de/-,279/V-Modell.htm). Still a lot of stuff but it looks promising.

[SamJolly]

Mikewhit,

I have just realised that you are about 1 mile from me.... I am based at Astley..... We ought to meet for a drink, and get our heads together ... my round...... Sorry everybody else for this local chit chat, but how often.. What a small world.

I am now going to read though the rest of the replies...

What excitement

Sam

[SamJolly]

First off I agree with the UML being different to process. I realise this, and probably did not make myself clear. After all one can choose RUP, Iconix, homebaked....... etc. I probably adopt the latter from my experiences.

Sam

[mikewhit]

Interesting article on one author's (non-RUP) UML process:
http://www.objectsbydesign.com/books/applying_uml.html

[potterm]

Interesting article on one author's (non-RUP) UML process:
http://www.objectsbydesign.com/books/applying_uml.html

Larman's book is excellent - but it's more than just process - it gives you a real insight into the drivers behind OO design, use of patterns etc., especially if you didn't cut your teeth on OO (like me).   I very much recommend it...

Martin.

[SamJolly]

Totally agree. Got the video and the book, but not the teeshirt...

Sam

[mikewhit]

http://www.xpdian.com/Casestudy.AprojectrolloutofUMLusingEA.html - a (very brief) case study of an EA rollout.

[SamJolly]

I wonder what tool they are referring to...!!!

Interesting article.

Thanks,

Sam

[bu66le]

Probably this is what u are looking for - Agile Modeling. Have a look at Extreme Programming (XP) too. Personally, I do not believe there is one methodology out there that fits everything. Choose the right methodology for the right project.