"UML as Sketch" isn't my original idea and it refers more to a mode of using UML than the physical act of sketching. http://www.martinfowler.com/bliki/UmlAsSketch.html
The idea of a lightweight, flow maintaining, modeling tool fits as well on the desktop as it does on a tablet. While a stylus is a nice addition (whether it be a Wacom tablet stylus or an Android stylus), I don't think it's a prerequisite. Mice and fingers can have lightweight interaction models as well. For me, the real test is - can I hold my model in my head and get it drawn as UML without the tool requiring so much cognitive energy that I feel the need to first sketch the model on paper so I don't lose it? Tom On Sat, Mar 31, 2012 at 12:49 PM, Mark Fortner <[email protected]> wrote: > I agree that there's always going to be resource constraints, but I think > the aspiration to improve the ease of use should be something that we > continually strive for with every release. > > I encourage everyone who works on the project, or who uses the tool, to show > it to their colleagues who don't use it. Go through a basic set of use > cases (you don't have to be obvious about what you're doing) creating a > class diagram, creating use case diagrams, RE, codegen, etc. Watch where > people struggle. At the end of the session, ask one simple question, "what > would prevent you from using ArgoUML". Make notes of anything that said. > > The "UML as a sketch" idea is a perfect example of thinking outside the box. > A tool that basically gets out of the way while you're working. Something > lightweight. Something that works the way people work. > > Riffing on that idea (and Andreas' idea) a bit, I wonder if a web-based UI > would fit the bill? The server would be capable of interpreting the drawing > as a model, and generating the necessary artifacts. You would be able to do > design reviews, and collaborative design. The server might also be capable > of interacting with a code repository (so you could automatically reverse > engineer your model when you make commits). > > On a previous thread, I talked about "instant reveng" -- where the user > would move back and forth between the source view and the diagram. Changes > made in the source view would automatically be reflected in the diagram and > vice-versa. One of the advantages to working that way would be bridging > this cognitive divide between UML and your language of choice. As you work > in the source view, you learn the UML equivalents for the code you write. > Kinda like learning a foreign language by reading the subtitles. > > As for deleting from the model vs deleting from the diagram, the key short > cuts that Tom mentioned should probably appear in the menu items. That goes > for any other shortcuts. It would be nice to have shortcuts for creating > classes, interfaces, attributes and operations. Ctrl-Shift C might create a > class, Ctrl-Shift A an attribute in the selected class, Ctrl-Shift D the > documentation, etc. > > Mark > > > > On Sat, Mar 31, 2012 at 8:25 AM, David Glaser <[email protected]> > wrote: >> >> >> On 3/31/2012 10:09 AM, Tom Morris wrote: >> >> Support of "UML as sketch" and a lightweight, facile, modeling flow is >> something that I'd personally love to see though. I'd love to be able to >> knock out a diagram in UML as fast as I can sketch it on a napkin (tablet UI >> anyone?) without the cognitive load of thinking about the tool, but then by >> able to take advantage of the machine's ability to modify the diagram rather >> than redrawing it from scratch, generate code from it, and all the other >> things we associate with using a modeling tool. Tom >> ------------------------------------------------------ >> http://argouml.tigris.org/ds/viewMessage.do?dsForumId=450&dsMessageId=2942968 >> To unsubscribe from this discussion, e-mail: >> [[email protected]]. To be allowed to post to the list >> contact the mailing list moderator, email: [[email protected]] >> >> For a "sketch" version of Argo on a tablet, we would need a pointing >> device that >> is more fine grained than a fingertip. >> >> From what I understand, Android ICS does have stylus support. So, this is >> definitely >> a possibility. >> >> -David > > ------------------------------------------------------ http://argouml.tigris.org/ds/viewMessage.do?dsForumId=450&dsMessageId=2943010 To unsubscribe from this discussion, e-mail: [[email protected]]. To be allowed to post to the list contact the mailing list moderator, email: [[email protected]]
