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The guidelines presented here are applicable to all types
of diagrams and are not specific to a single type of diagram.
The terms bubbles, lines, and labels are used throughout:
-
Bubbles
represent diagram elements such as class boxes, object boxes, use cases, and
actors.
-
Lines
represent diagram elements such as associations, dependencies, and
transitions between states.
-
Labels
represent diagram elements such as class names, association roles, and
constraints.
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Figure 1. Depicting crossing
lines.
Figure 2. Improving the attractiveness
of a diagram.
Figure 3. Indicating uncertainty
on a diagram.
- Avoid
Crossing Lines
- Crossing Lines Jump One Another. When you need to have two lines cross one of them should “hop” over
the other, using the notation that you see in Figure 1
borrowed from electrical-wiring diagrams.
- Avoid
Diagonal or Curved Lines
- Apply
Consistently-Sized Bubbles. In the first version of the
diagram in Figure 2 the A bubble is larger than the
others, drawing attention to it.
- Show Only What You Have To
- Prefer Well-Known Notation Over Esoteric Notation
- Reorganize Large Diagrams Into Several Smaller Ones
- Include Whitespace In Diagrams
- Focus on Content First, Appearance Second
- Cleanup to Rethink a Diagram
- Organize Diagrams Left to Right, Top to Bottom
- Set and Follow Effective Naming Conventions
- Apply Common
Domain Terminology in Names
- Only Bring Language Naming
Conventions into Design Diagrams
- Indicate Unknowns with a Question Mark. Figure 3 depicts two examples.
- Consider Adding Color to Your Diagrams
Material for this article was summarized from Chapter 2
of The
Elements of UML 2.0 Style.
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|
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The Elements of UML 2.0 Style describes a collection
of standards, conventions, and
guidelines
for creating effective
UML diagrams. They are based on sound, proven
software engineering principles that lead to diagrams
that are easier to understand and work with. These
conventions exist as a collection of simple, concise
guidelines that if applied consistently, represent an
important first step in increasing your productivity as
a modeler. This book is oriented towards
intermediate to advanced UML modelers, although there
are numerous examples throughout the book it would not
be a good way to learn the UML (instead, consider
The Object Primer). The book is a brief 188
pages long and is conveniently pocket-sized so it's easy
to carry around. |
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|
The Object Primer 3rd Edition: Agile Model Driven
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