FAQ
By Boris Feldman

1. What is UML?
The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is the industry-standard language for specifying, visualizing, constructing, and documenting the artifacts of software systems. Using UML, programmers and application architects can make a blueprint of a project, which, in turn, makes the actual software development process easier.

2. Who created UML?
UML was created at Rational Software by methodologists Grady Booch, Ivar Jacobson, and Jim Rumbaugh with input from other leading methodologists, many software vendors, as well as end-users. Its aim is to unify the various existing systems into a best-of-breed modeling language.

3. Is UML a standard?
Yes. UML was adopted by the Object Management Group (www.omg.org) as a standard in November, 1997.

4. What can I use UML for?
UML was designed with these primary purposes in mind:

  • Business process modeling with use cases
  • Class and object modeling
  • Component modeling
  • Distribution and deployment modeling
5. Do I really need UML? Can't I just describe how my application is designed using regular words?
While it's certainly possible to describe interrelated processes and code architecture in words, many people prefer to use a diagram to visualize the relationship of elements to one another. UML is a standard way to create these diagrams. As a result, it makes it easier for programmers and software architects to communicate.

6. I already use project management software to plan my software development projects. Why should I use UML?
Unlike project management software, which is designed to coordinate the various parts of a project in relation to a timeline, UML-based diagrams can be used to show the interrelationships within a project from an architectural perspective.

7. How does UML relate to OMT, Booch, OOSE, and other modeling languages?
One of the goals of the design of UML was to unify the various modeling languages into one common standard. Those that are familiar with OMT, Booch, or OOSE will have little trouble picking up UML because many of the concepts are very similar.

8. Are there UML-based tools that I can use today?
Yes. Many UML tools are starting to appear. The most popular visual modeling tool is Rational Rose from Rational Sofware (www.rational.com/products/rose), the originators of UML.

9. What are some of the companies working on UML?

Back to the UML Zone...
 
Sponsored Links