TEXTUAL ANALYSIS and CRC CARD DIAGRAMS

[JohnDoe]

Hello,

I would like to start my project with a pure TEXTURAL ANALYSIS DIAGRAM (no pictures, just plain text). Then I would like to extract use cases and actors out of these textural analysis documents by dragging nouns and verbs out of the text onto use case diagrams linking these elements (UC's/actors should link to nouns/verbs and vice versa).

Then I would like to open one of those use cases and define class candidates by using CRC CARD DIAGRAMS which allow the identification of class candidates and their relations. Finally this would lead to domain models and sequence diagrams.

I am interested, what other users think about this. Comments are welcome.

Regards
Bernd

[thomaskilian]

Actually this had been suggested some years ago and there were not so many friends of this thought. You might be lucky finding the thread again..

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Hi Bernd,

At first glance, looks like the antithesis of UML...  But I'll be interested in where this goes.

I'm not against CRC Cards (in fact quite an advocate) - and EA's private "requirements" are REALLY responsibilities!  As will be shown if you Diagram|Properties...|Visible Compartments|[X] Requirements

You'll see the new compartment is entitled "responsibiities".  So I guess, EA can create CRC diagrams.

Paolo

[JohnDoe]

Hello (thomaskilian),

what is the alternative way to do the textual analysis then ? Should I create an empty analysis diagram and put text on it and create visual links to actors and/or use case scenarios ?

Regards
Bernd

[thomaskilian]

Hi Bernd,
what I usually do is the following: I create a (very!) simple business model which shows the basic goals of the system. Most times it looks trivial but often people need to see for what purpose they need the system and it helps the analyst in the project start. Then in another package I gather the requirements for which I also create a diagram in order to arrange them logically. Having these I will go on with locating the actors and then the use cases. I use free notes or diagram notes to create informal decriptive text around it. So for the interaction with the stakeholders I use the diagrams and put the formal information in the according elements (requirements, UCs, Actors, etc.). I was very successful in using that approach as I'm forced to have things formalized from a very early stage.

See also the following threads:
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=suggestions;action=display;num=1080722846;start=0#0

and others searching for CRC

[JohnDoe]

Hello thomas,

I would like to formalize the stakeholder, goal, needs and problem definition part of the project using special symbols for these objects.

Is it possible to create new toolbox elements, which can be dragged and dropped over to diagrams ?

Regards
bernd

[«Midnight»]

Something like this is (supposed to be) supported as of EA 7.0.

You will have to create a profile to do this. There are directions in the EA docs, and (I think) additional information from the Resources page (or white papers or whatever) of the Sparx Web site.

As to how to create custom toolbox icons, I've not yet found the reference, but I have not really looked. it is a new feature in EA 7.0.

David

[jeshaw2]

what is the alternative way to do the textual analysis then ? Should I create an empty analysis diagram and put text on it and create visual links to actors and/or use case scenarios ?

Regards
Bernd

Note sure this is exactly what you are looking for, but I usually use this form of a Textual Use Case Description as a partial basis of my requirements analysis.  They are, of course, written at a high level of abstraction and are very goal (as opposed to design) oriented. I like to get user sign-off on these before I begin a formal modeling process.  I do create small, high-level UC diagrams for inclusion in the text document as an aid to understanding.  I also create CIM level class diagrams to model the stakeholders and important business objects.

It isn't the click-n-drag approach you want, but its how I do it.  I don't like to invest too much in the modeling until the Stakeholders and I are sure we are on the same page.

Jim

[JohnDoe]

Hi David and Jim,
thank you very much for the tipp regarding UML profiles. On the first view, it looks complicated, but after looking at the _image and _imageFile examples, I was able to create an own set of diagram elements: Stakeholders (=Actor) and Goals (=Requirement).
The topic now is, that my new elements are still instances of the existing stereotypes (such as Actors and Requirements). Though my actors and requirements now show nice EMF-files in the diagrams, they are still "actors" and "requirements". So, I can not search for stereotypes "goals" or "stakeholders" in the element list view.
Another question is, how to change the icon being displayed at the resources UML-profiles tab, which still shows the standard actor and requirement icons. The shapeScript documentation allows to change _imageFile, but not the icons of the types.
Regards
Bernd

[«Midnight»]

Bernd,

You can enable stereotype display in the Project Browser tree. It can clutter the view, so is often turned off. Look at the Tools | Options dialog, and you'll find this in the Project Browser group box.

Since my previous reply I've found the following: http://www.sparxsystems.com/bin/SDK.chm

This is the beta of the EA SDK, which is (briefly) discussed in this thread: http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Automation;action=display;num=1184572698;start=5#5

The SDK explains how to set up toolbar icons.

Please keep in mind that the SDK is in beta. Since I have not heard anything about a release date, I suggest you give Sparx some breathing room on this.

This may also be helpful for cleaning up the UI when your profile is used by an add-inL: http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Automation;action=display;num=1184518723;start=3#3

David

[KP]

Though my actors and requirements now show nice EMF-files in the diagrams, they are still "actors" and "requirements". So, I can not search for stereotypes "goals" or "stakeholders" in the element list view.

Search through the SDK document for "_metatype"...

Another question is, how to change the icon being displayed at the resources UML-profiles tab, which still shows the standard actor and requirement icons. The shapeScript documentation allows to change _imageFile, but not the icons of the types.

You can't change the icon in the Resources window, but for instructions on how to change the icon in the Toolbox, search the SDK document for "Icons for Toolbox Items".