Hi,
Trainer/author Alistar Cockburn in his recent
book on use cases suggests that use case diagrams may not be so
essential after all. What do they really show? To understand what the
system will do and for whose benefit it will do it, why not simply
list actors and their goals (a.k.a. use cases). The Actor/Goal
List serves this purpose. Concentrating project effort on having
stakeholders express their goals goes far in ensuring the system will
meet their expectations (or at least protect their interests). All you need
is a wordprocessor...
On the other hand if project effort is spent drawing
pictures of stickmen communicating with ellipses
and ellipses associated with other ellipses using terms
like <<includes>> and <<extends> you run the risk
of confusing your stakeholders. How then do you show that a use
case includes another? The included use case name is
underlined - hyperlinked. Requirements are captured as hyperlinked
structured prose, not pictures.
Here's a link to his book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0201702258/qid=981061758/sr=1-1/ref=sc_b_1/102-2747316-9452106
Sequence and collaboration diagrams can be replaced by
well written white-box use cases in a pinch. Class diagrams however are
essential if you plan on generating skeletal code with Rose. Diagram-wise I like
what I've seen of Rose Realtime where the capsule's state machine allows
you to execute your model.
-Richard
----- Original Message -----
From: "Butler, Frances H. (FHB) " <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "'Van Rijn, Maarten'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 11:02 AM
Subject: RE: (ROSE) UML Diagrams
> Maarten,
>
> As a relative newcomer to the UML and Rational Rose, I don't have a lot of
> experience with all the diagrams. However, I have an opinion nonetheless.
>
> Our organization is relatively small, and has little overhead money for new
> tools and/or training in those tools. We also have a large number of
> traditionally-minded developers who believe the only way to develop code is
> the hard way, i.e., "from scratch." We purchased only one floating license
> to use on this project, and we quickly learned that the 5 or six developers
> could not do their jobs using the tool. So, we took somewhat of a modified
> approach in that we are using the Rose model to store information after it
> has been generated outside the tool. But, we started our involvement with
> the Rational Toolset by attending a course taught by Kendall Scott, "Use
> Case Driven Object Modeling with UML." (Excellent course, BTW. I recommend
> it highly.)
>
> I believe I can say with 100% certainty that the one thing our entire team
> can agree on is the value of Use Case Modeling. I'm convinced that we would
> have no clear understanding of system requirements without it. My view is
> the Use Case diagrams are the foundation of the system. Nothing else can be
> built without them.
>
> Short answer is: Use Case Diagrams, without question.
>
> Any other opinions?
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> | Frances H. Butler
> | Computing Specialist
> | BWXT Y-12 L.L.C.
> | Oak Ridge, TN
> | Phone: (865) 574-3694
> | Internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> |
> | Results! Why, man, I have gotten a lot of results.
> | I know several thousand things that won't work.
> | Thomas Edison
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Van Rijn, Maarten [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 8:51 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: (ROSE) UML Diagrams
>
>
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> We are having a small discussion in the company right now. I was wondering
> what your opinion is about this.
> The question is, which of the diagrams are most important to your
> development process? and most of all why?
>
> I am looking forward to your replies.
>
>
> Maarten van Rijn
> Siemens Metering AS
> Bratsbergvn. 5 7-3 7493 Trondheim Norway
> Tlf: +47 73 95 98 00
> www.siemet.no
>
> ************************************************************************
> * Rose Forum is a public venue for ideas and discussions.
> * For technical support, visit http://www.rational.com/support
> *
> * Admin.Subscription Requests: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> * Archive of messages:
> http://www.rational.com/products/rose/usergroups/rose_forum.jtmpl
> * Other Requests: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> *
> * To unsubscribe from the list, please send email
> *
> * To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> * Subject:<BLANK>
> * Body: unsubscribe rose_forum
> *
> *************************************************************************
> ************************************************************************
> * Rose Forum is a public venue for ideas and discussions.
> * For technical support, visit http://www.rational.com/support
> *
> * Admin.Subscription Requests: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> * Archive of messages: http://www.rational.com/products/rose/usergroups/rose_forum.jtmpl
> * Other Requests: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> *
> * To unsubscribe from the list, please send email
> *
> * To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> * Subject:<BLANK>
> * Body: unsubscribe rose_forum
> *
> *************************************************************************
>
>
