UML Weekend Crash Course™ - To Parent Directory

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Preface
To get the most out of this book, you should be familiar with software projects and the
various participants. I don’t cover project management or much of the technology used in
projects. In fact, I assume you know the project-related concepts like code, databases, programs,
requirements, business processes, clients, developers, and analysts.
What You Need To Have
The requirements for the course are very basic. You can create all the diagrams with pencil
and paper. If you like, you can download any one of the modeling tools mentioned in the
book. Nearly all vendors provide an evaluation copy for 15 to 30 days, more than enough
time to complete the course and try out the tool. For a list of vendor sites see Session 30.
I’ll offer two cautions regarding the use of tools: First, there are a few free tools out there,
but most of them are not complete and might get in the way of your work. Second, if you
are struggling with the tool, go back to paper until you finish the course. Focus on learning
the concepts, then work on using a tool. The concepts are more important than the
mechanics of a particular tool.
What Results Can You Expect
How realistic is it to try to learn the UML in one weekend The UML is like many things you
learn. Grasping the basics is easy, but it can take years to master the application. The UML
defines ten diagrams. Five of those get used a lot; the other five are more specialized and
are used less frequently. All of the concepts represented in the diagrams should already be
familiar, concepts such as clients, business processes, and messages. The toughest part is
learning the terminology. That is why the course focuses on giving you definitions and lots
of examples.
There is more to the UML than I could possibly cover in 15 hours. But I can give you a
solid understanding of the core concepts that will support 80 percent of your work. You will
know the purpose of each diagram, how the diagrams work together, the entire notation to
construct each diagram, and even ways to test your work. After you work through the
examples and the case study, you should be able to immediately start applying your new
understanding at work with confidence.
Weekend Crash Course Layout and Features
This book follows the Weekend Crash Course layout and includes the standard features of
the series so that you can be assured of mastering the UML within a solid weekend. You
should take breaks throughout. I’ve arranged things so that the 30 sessions last approximately
30 minutes each. The sessions are grouped within parts that take two or three hours
to complete. At the end of each session, you’ll find “Quiz Yourself” questions, and at the
end of each part, you’ll find part review questions. These questions let you test your knowledge
and practice your newfound skills. (The answers to the part review questions are in
Appendix A.) Between sessions, take a break, grab a snack, and refill that beverage glass,
before plunging into the next session!
This Weekend Crash Course contains 30 half-hour sessions organized within six parts. The
parts correspond to a time during the weekend, as outlined in the following sections.