UML Operator Blog

A lot of Sparx Modelers did not know you can build Visio-type models in Sparx EA while reusing your existing model elements. You can model as an Engineer and then become a great PowerPoint Jockey, at the same time.

I am getting asked quite a bit on how I put these black triangles (arrows) on my association labels in UML. People cannot find anything on the internet, yet see these direction indicators on all sorts of UML Diagrams. I will add this link to the FAQ page on this blog as well.

I am constantly helping other work more productively in systems and software engineering. This is another example that I will focus on more in the future.

Having some fun with Sparx EA and my YouTube Channel. It's easy with Sparx EA, but later I will show how to do this with other tooling.

PREFACE: I used ChatGPT to ask a question about alternatives for content creators. I will break this post into two sections: 1) ChatGPT results; and 2) My thoughts as of today. My question was formed like this, " Should I use YouTube for content creation? Or are there alternatives? " ChatGPT Response YouTube is undoubtedly a popular and influential platform for content creation, with a vast user base and the potential for global reach. However, it is not the only option available. Depending on your content and goals, there are alternatives that you may consider. Let's explore some of them: Vimeo : Vimeo is a video-sharing platform that caters more to the professional and creative community. It offers high-quality video hosting, customization options, and a supportive community. While it may have a smaller audience compared to YouTube, it can be a suitable choice if your content targets a specific niche or if you prioritize aesthetics and quality. Twitch : If you're in...

Created using ChatGPT to prove a point 8-) Introduction In an era where technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, the need for robust and efficient systems is more critical than ever before. Whether it's designing a space mission, developing a self-driving car, or implementing a large-scale software project, system engineering plays a pivotal role in ensuring successful outcomes. This article aims to demystify the concept of system engineering, shedding light on its fundamental principles, processes, and the crucial role it plays in tackling complex challenges. Understanding System Engineering System engineering can be defined as an interdisciplinary approach to designing, analyzing, and managing complex systems over their entire lifecycle. It involves integrating various components, subsystems, and stakeholders to create a cohesive and optimized solution that meets specified requirements. The goal of system engineering is to ensure that the system functions as intended, ful...

If we don't understand IT, we cannot deliver IT... The Requirements Engineering process is a critical step in the software development life cycle as it helps to ensure that the software system being developed meets the needs and expectations of stakeholders, and that it is developed on time, within budget, and to the required quality. Requirements Management This step involves managing the requirements throughout the software development life cycle, including tracking and controlling changes, and ensuring that the requirements are still valid and relevant. Requirements Development Requirements Development is composed of Requirement's Elicitation, Analysis, Specification, and Validation where Elicitation (gathering) is the first step (predecessor to) Analysis. This is an iterative process where we move between elicitation, analysis, specification, and validation. Requirements Elicitation This is the process of gathering information about the needs and expectations of stakeholder...

So I talk about Features, Capabilities, Requirements, and more quite a bit. In this case, the notion of "Feature" takes a different turn. Preface: This is a mix of my thoughts and those referenced in Wikipedia on this subject. I have read tens of thousands of pages over the years, and there are a lot of opinions (some good, some off). I  have learned one thing in my years in systems and software engineering, and that is that the industry is out to sell their wares regardless of practical applications. My focus here is on "patterns" first. A pattern is something that has been delivered, in production!, more than twice. Thus when applying data engineering to machine learning, the very first thing to consider is "pattern recognition". In   machine learning   and pattern recognition, a   feature   is an individual measurable property or characteristic of a phenomenon being observed. Choosing informative, discriminating and independent   features   is a cru...

 I talk about "requirements" quite a bit through out my delivery journeys. Each time we start a delivery effort (large or small), I cringe around what is coming next. And that is the frustration in getting requirements of any kind out of the stakeholders. NOTHING SEEMS TO BE AGILE!! Agile is not agile and SAFe is now safe. In 1986, Dr. Barry Boehm (May 16, 1935 - August 20, 2022), whom I referred to as "The Number 1 American Software Engineer" showed me the Spiral Model. He also taught me how to construct software using COCOMO. This is all I needed, I thought then, to effectively assess system and software projects. In fact, I used this thinking to assess any project (construction, manufacturing, and software). However, around 1993, I learned from Kent Beck's eXtreme Programming (XP) User Stories that now I had the best way to elicit and develop requirements. Then came the Agile Manifesto around 2001 and the hype curve went crazy and all sorts of people came out...

I have read tens of thousands of pages on these subjects. I will be touching on this subject a great deal in my channel,  UML Operator . We tend to use "Features" and "Capabilities" a lot, but don't necessarily understand what they mean. I see this in scope documents, and it is sometimes clear that folks are confused or confusing. I once saw on Quora,  A capability is the ability to do something , normally it is provided by the infrastructure of the software system and makes features possible.  The author was not using it in the sense of a high level possible goal to be achieved using the system, but rather as an enabler that makes features and high level possible goals capable of being accomplished through their existence. In other words I am not using the term here as a collection of features that might be used to achieve something. That is another meaning of the term. As for feature, a  feature is something that the system does that is visible to the user  an...