Dimensions of UML Diagram Use: Practitioner Survey and Research Agenda

Abstract

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is an industry standard for object-oriented software engineering. However, there is little empirical evidence on how the UML is used. This chapter reports results of a survey of UML practitioners. The authors found differences in several dimensions of UML diagram usage on software development projects, including frequency, the purposes for which they were used, and the roles of clients/users in their creation and approval. System developers are often ignoring the “Use Case-driven” prescription that permeates much of the UML literature, making limited or no use of either Use Case Diagrams or textual Use Case descriptions. Implications and areas requiring further investigation are discussed.