Unified Modelling Language (UML) for Business Analysts

Course Overview

The Unified Modelling Language (UML) is the foremost object-oriented development approach, and represents the unification of the Rumbaugh's OMT, the Booch method and Jacobson's Objectory. Object-oriented models offer resilience to change and tend to stop the infamous "ripple effect" of a small business change having a disproportionate software change.

Throughout the analysis phase of a project, it is vitally important that real business knowledge is captured. This course provides an entry into the world of object-oriented analysis for those with a business focus rather than a technical focus.

The UML models are not an end in themselves - their sole purpose is to allow the required system to be built. The course recognizes this by emphasizing the models as a set that work together to solve a business problem. Underpinning this approach is a progressive set of exercises that consolidate the delegates' knowledge of how to use the UML effectively.

By using the UML to describe a business need, the Business Analyst can go a long way in bridging the traditional gap between Business Analyst and Developer whilst still thinking in terms appropriate to a Business Analyst (ie thinking in business concepts).

The course style is very much exercise-based, focussing on those areas of the UML where the concepts are sometimes difficult to grasp. Class-based examples/exercises are normally used to ensure that all delegates have an adequate starter understanding for the detailed exercises which are always done in very small group.

Audience

• Business Analysts
• Those who have had some exposure to the UML but have found it difficult to see how it all works together, will also find this course valuable.

Skills Gained

• appreciate the benefits of an object approach and how it is used to leverage business requirements
• understand the important UML models and how they fit together to describe the business requirements.
• know how to describe business rules in the UML models.
• have had adequate practice at constructing these models themselves and fitting them together. They will feel confident in doing the same on a real project after the course.

Prerequisites

• Prior exposure to object-oriented concepts is not essential.

Course Outline

The Big Picture

• The problem of specifying a business requirement such that it flows right through to the implementer. How objects / UML achieve this.

What Are Objects ?

• The essential principles of objects, how they work. Remove the mystique and show them as natural and intuitive.

UML : The Basics

• A first slice through the important UML models : Use Cases, Actors, Sequence Diagram, Object Diagram, Class Diagram. This looks a lot but we do it all at an elementary level so we can get started builiding a real business model.

Associations

• Exploring associations in detail : aggregation, association qualifier, association class. An important aspect (for Business Analysis) covered here is derived (or conceptual) attributes.

State Charts

• The StateChart is UML model to describe behaviour that changes over time; the course introduces it early on because it is a common need of many businesses. The super-, sub- and history- state are covered.

Further Use Cases

• This section covers Include, Extend, Package and the Activity Diagram. Generalization of Use Cases is handled later in the inheritance chapter.
• Interfaces and Polymorphism
• The meaning of an "interface" when using objects. The emphasis is on the great leverage this can give to the business and that this leverage starts with the Business Analyst.

Inheritance

• What it means and how to use it. The course steers the delegates though the huge advantages that inheritance can offer but equally - through exercises - shows them the pitfalls that await the unwary.

Patterns

• The course introduces some design patterns in a non-intimidating way -really as a by-product of the main flow. Some awareness of patterns helps build the continuity across the project lifecycle. The patterns used in the course are singleton, factory and state.

Unified Modelling Language (UML) for Business Analysts / OOUFMBU2