Jim Arlow*, Wolfgang Emmerich+, John Quinn*
* British Airways Plc
TBE (E124)
Viscount Way
Hounslow, UK
jim.arlow at btinternet.com
+ Dept. of Computer Science,
University College London
Gower Street
London, WC1E 6BT UK
Abstract:
We have found during several large UML projects at British Airways, that
non-technical end-users, managers and business domain experts find it difficult
to understand UML visual models. This leads to problems in requirement
capture and review. To solve this problem, we have developed the technique
of Literate Modelling. Literate Models are UML diagrams that are embedded
in texts explaining the models. In that way end-users, managers and domain
experts gain slight but useful understanding of the models, whilst object-oriented
analysts see exactly and precisely how the models define business requirements
and imperatives. We discuss some early experiences with Literate Modelling
at British Airways where it was used extensively in their Enterprise Object
Modelling initiative. We explain why Literate Modelling is viewed as one
of the critical success factors for this significant project. Finally,
we propose that Literate Modelling may be a valuable extension to many
other object-oriented and non object-oriented visual modelling languages.
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Updated on: 24/03/98
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