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Re: What You Really Need To Know About The UML : was something else
Subject:Re: What You Really Need To Know About The UML : was something else From:"Pro TechWriter" <pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com> To:"Richard Lewis" <tech44writer -at- yahoo -dot- com> Date:Thu, 21 Jun 2007 15:32:37 -0400
Well, UML is built into the Rational Tools (IBM owns this now) and the
Rational Unified Process (RUP) methodology.
Because I used the tools, I only had to work within that framework for UML.
And you are write, the developers I worked with used the UML only as it was
needed in the Rational tools--and they discarded other parts.
Thanks for the insight.
PT
On 6/21/07, Richard Lewis <tech44writer -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:
>
> Hi:
>
> A ways back on the requirements engineering listserv, I discussed the UML
> with Dov Dori and some of his associates (especially, Shalom Cohen out of
> the University of Tel Aviev). Dov is chairman of systems engineering at
> MIT. He is currently leading an effort at IBM to replace the UML. He says
> that the UML is just to complex. If the chairman of systems engineering at
> MIT says that it is too complex - it is tooo complex!
>
> The vast majority of development staff who try to use the UML modeling
> techniques greatly bastardize the models - to the point that they are of
> very little use. Not only that, even if they were to be done right, you
> really could not do much with these models as, at least the ones I am most
> familiar with (use cases and activity diagrams) just do not work.
>
> So remember, when it comes to the UML, you do not REALLY need to know how
> to use the stuff. You just need, for interviewing purposes, to be able to
> throw the words around in a sentence or so with a smile on your face.
>
> Richard Lewis
>
> *Pro TechWriter <pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com>* wrote:
>
> Great questions, Karen.
> I also transitioned from technical writing into business analysis. Here
> are
> some books that I used while working on UML projects. Just remember that
> the
> methodologies are only one more way to express information. At first,
> using
> UML and use cases was a bit intimidating, but when I got the hang of it, I
> really liked it and found it useful.
>
> When you have read some of the material, you can go ahead and create use
> cases based on the steps in the books as samples. Use something that you
> are
> familiar with (the ATM machine has been used a million times).
>
> Most of these books are available on Amazon.
>
> - Writing Effective Use Cases by Alistair Cockburn (Paperback - Jan
> 15, 2000)
> - Software Requirements, Second Edition by Karl E. Wiegers (Paperback
> - Feb 26, 2003)
> - UML for the IT Business Analyst: A Practical Guide to
> Object-Oriented Requirements Gathering by Howard Podeswa (Paperback - Jun
> 7,
> 2005)
> - Use Case Modeling by Kurt Bittner and Ian Spence (Paperback - Aug
> 20, 2002)
> - Managing Software Requirements: A Use Case Approach, Second Edition
> by Dean Leffingwell and Don Widrig (Hardcover - May
>
> Good luck!
> - PT
>
>
>
> On 6/21/07, Karen wrote:
> >
> > In a previous job, my technical writing turned into a business/data
> > analyst job. I'd really like to get back into a business analyst role
> > since I'm also a data junkie and have programming experience.
> >
> > A lot of the jobs want experience with "use case modeling" and "UML
> > methodology". Also, experience in use case diagrams, activity diagrams,
> > sequence diagrams, and class diagrams. I'm finding different samples on
> the
> > web; however, I was wondering if someone on the list (perhaps a business
> > major) has any recommendations on a book or web site that will help get
> me
> > up to speed?
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> > PT
> > pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com
> > I'm a Technical Technical Writer!
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--
PT
pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com
I'm a Technical Technical Writer!
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