Unified Modeling Language (UML) is perceived to be a multi-purpose modeling language; basically employing graphical language for envisioning, identifying, assembling and documenting the artifact of software intensive system. It is a design language that focuses on objects. It aids in standardizing diagramming processes and is commonly being used in software engineering.
Together with data modeling, business modeling, object modeling and component modeling, Unified Modeling Language is used in the software development life cycle. It plays a core role in constructing or changing the information systems. It constantly provides a regular approach to visualize system’s architectural designs.
Unified Modeling Language is also being used for software education design. For instance, UML has enabled development of XML schema that helps keep semantics in the tag names. It facilitates the confines semantic structure and gives room so that more representations can be produced from it. Subsequently, this can lead to the development of a semantic notation. It is used by many organizations and software developers to document the examination of the structures and design of hardware and software components underdevelopments (Dobing and Parsons, 2000).
A Unified Modeling Language usually consists of structural diagrams, behavior diagrams and interactive diagrams. The structural diagrams has helped users understand the prerequisites that must be in the system being modeled; behavior diagrams shows users what must happen in the system under modeling while interaction diagrams helps software developers understand the flow of control and data in the system under development. A class diagram for instance, which is part of structural diagram, illustrates the structure of a system by showing developers the system’s classes, features, as well as the relationship between the classes. The activity diagrams presented by UML on the other hand helps users understand business and the order of work flow of system’s components. This signifies the overall flow of control in a system. Generally, UML grants software developers the opportunity to focus more on design and architecture (Erickson, 2008).
Industries also use UML in various fields. For instance, different industries have used UML purposefully for management and assessment of electronic service quality. This is achieved via using graphical language to visualize the whole process. Industries make use of case-case diagrams offered by UML diagramming techniques to develop the process model. Besides, other companies have used UML to develop the UB2SQL. The UB2SQL tool, made by UML has enabled users and organizations come up with database applications (Erickson, 2008).
Unified modeling language has also been used to document the as-built systems. Companies have constantly made use of documentary application of UML component or deployment diagrams.
Why Unified Modeling Language was developed
Unified Modeling Language was developed simply to act as a modeling notation. It was developed so that the UML diagrams could be used as a modeling standard. This implies that basically, it was developed so that it could be used as a standardized visual specification language specifically for object modeling in areas of software engineering. It was designed so that any software under development with whichever method could be compatible with object-oriented software development (Dobing and Parsons, 2000).
Impact Unified Modeling Language on modeling
Since its inception, unified modeling language has made remarkable impacts in software engineering. A model driven architecture developed from UML has made companies and organizations realize that models should be independent of the platform they are created to be used on. This notion has resulted in viewing the model as a focus of systems analysis and the design process and not a dependent platform. UML has besides resulted in application of semantic, diagrammatic and notational techniques in software engineering (Erickson, 2008).
Reference
Dobing, B and Parsons, J. (2000). Understanding the role of use cases in UML: A review and research agenda. Journal of Database Management, 11(4), 28-36.
Dobing, B and Parsons, J. (2008). Dimemsions of UML diagram use: A survey of practitioners.
Journal of Database Management, 19(1), 1-18.
Erickson, J. (2008) A Decade and More of UML: An Overview of UML Semantic and Structural Issues and UML Field Use. Journal of Database Management. Hershey
