Learning UML

The UML and Process

Even though the UML is process-independent, its authors promote a process that is use-case driven, architecture-centric, iterative, and incremental. By understanding how the UML is related to process and the type of process the UML’s authors promote, you can better understand how to best approach learning the UML. However, any type of process—even one without these characteristics—may use the UML.

Generally, every system development lifecycle process involves the following types of lifecycle activities:

• Requirements-gathering activities to capture requirements that define what a system should do

• Analysis activities to understand the requirements

• Design activities to determine how a system will satisfy its requirements

• Implementation activities to build a system

• Testing activities to verify that a system satisfies its requirements

• Deployment activities to make a system available to its users

There are many types of approach for applying these activities to develop a system. Traditionally, a waterfall approach has been applied. Now, an iterative approach is more common.

Applying a Waterfall Approach

When applying a waterfall approach, lifecycle activities are performed in a single, linear sequence for all the requirements. This often results in the discovery, during testing activities when the different pieces of the system are integrated, of quality-related problems that have remained hidden during the design and implementation activities. Because such problems are discovered ...