Completely new and completely lost

[markl]

Hello.

Unfortunately I know nothing about UML, object methods or how to use EA. I'm from a relational background and use DFDs and ERDs (SSADM) so am completely bewildered.

How do I get into this thing? Should I try activity diagrams, Use cases, requirements diagrams or should i pull out a large gun and shoot myself?

Thanks in advance.

[thomaskilian]

Look for book recommedation on this forum or at Google (something like UML Distilled or UML for Dummies). It takes quite some reading and experience but you will make it with a bit of effort. Don't try to understand everything from the beginning. Use it like Lego - piece by piece.

[jeshaw2]

Make sure the book you get is for UML 2.  There is a difference between that and the older UML 1.x books.

[bob_d]

My 2 cents:

UML 2 and the Unified Process: Practical Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (2nd Edition) (The Addison-Wesley Object Technology Series) (Paperback)
by Jim Arlow (Author), Ila Neustadt (Author)

Eminently readable and instructive in both the "How" and "Why" contexts.

[ukmtk]

I'm working my way through "Use Case Driven Object Modeling With UML" (Rosenberg/Stephens). I think it is quite an accessible book. It describes the production of a model from start to finish. I think it may be quite useful for a beginner as it limits itself to a subset of UML - i.e. 4 diagrams. The book is related to the ICONIX methodology. You can read reviews on Amazon. I did get the company to pay for a copy and do prefer hardbacks for reference material.