UML Operator Blog

In this post, we are going to touch on, briefly and I mean briefly, several Frameworks to consider pertain to getting into our Software and Systems Architect Series on our UML Operator Channel . We will refer back to this post during the course of our demonstrations. To Begin...Do Not Get Carried Away! When the process is lost, there is good practice. When good practice is lost, there are rules. When rules are lost, there is ritual. Ritual is the beginning of chaos. TOGAF The first is TOGAF, The Open Group Architecture Framework. I recommend studying and achieving a certification in TOGAF. In my opinion, this was the best investment I made over my careers. TOGAF is a widely used framework for enterprise architecture. It offers a methodology and set of supporting tools for developing a wide range of architectures. I couple TOGAF with the idea or concepts of C4 Modeling, BPMN, SAFe, and even PMBOK. Zachman Framework The Zachman Framework is an approach to enterprise architect...

Ask anyone, even ChatGPT, and they will tell you that GIGO stands for "Garbage In, Garbage Out." It's a concept used primarily in computer science and information technology to emphasize the importance of input quality in producing meaningful and accurate output. In essence, it suggests that if you input poor-quality or flawed data into a system or process, the output or results will also be flawed or of low quality. No matter how sophisticated a system is, if the input it receives is incorrect, incomplete, or inaccurate, the output it generates will reflect those deficiencies. This principle highlights the critical need for accurate and reliable data as the foundation for obtaining valuable, valid, and dependable results from any computational or information system. Okay, so most of us have heard this term, so why do most of us seem to forget it? I keep walking into delivery exercises, requirements elicitation, and general delivery practices, and keep seeing "garbag...

2023 was a exiting year for me and our team. I retired at the start of the year and I helped some people deliver their business objectives. In 2024 I start a new chapter in my life and pass my knowledge and experience on. Out of school in the late 70's, I went to work for Sol Price, founder of Price Club which you now know as Costco. Sol taught me more in 6 months than any University Professor, and one thing was "The Cost of Labor". In the early 80's I was constantly going up to him with the latest technologies and advancements in computing. He hated IT due to the hype and expense. Afterall, he was the only one whome was succesful in the Membership Club business. In school we learn about Return On Investment (ROI) and Cost Of Ownership (COO), however "hype" can get the best of all of us. So I learned that each time I took a technology item (new computers, software, or systems), I always started with the COO and ROI first in our conversations. Being in...

I am currently teaching modelers how to build effective Use Cases and many are struggling with understanding Technology and Data Variations, especially in Enterprise Architecture, Solutioning, and Design. As an Enterprise and Solution Architect for over 23 years, as well as Program and Operations Manager with 40 years of experience, bridging the 'clarity gap' between stakeholders can be a challenge. In today's age of Data, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), we must close these gaps. We must understand what we mean regarding the "technologies" we use and/or implement, but more importantly we must understand the impacts to our "data" and desired outcomes.  Interested in following? Visit our Website, " TOT Consulting , home of UML Operator" or go to our UML Operator Channel and subscribe. Be sure to turn on Notifications so that you can keep up with our latest videos. Technology Variation "Technology Variation" typicall...

So when, why, and how to start Data Modeling in your project? First off, I am in many projects where non-technical people do not understand their data or even how to document it. There is no reason to "be afraid" of this subject as anyone can do this. Data Modeling in UML does NOT require you are technical, a data architect or developer, or even follow the conventions of data development, management, or documentation. This only requires a basic understanding of your "Modeling Tool" which could be PowerPoint, Visio, Lucidchart, Draw.io or the myriad of offers out there today. The Tools Out of the dozens of "drawing tools" I have used over the decades, I prefer Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA). Sparx EA allows me to draw anything using UML and CASE techniques. In addition, I can put as much intelligence and information under my drawing elements as I want or need, and to continue to update and manage this intelligence. Plus, this intelligence is in a SQL datab...

 I am working with a group of very smart system, application, and business architects. Each group is using different tooling that they are comfortable with.  The Business Architects are using Draw.io,  while the Application Architects are using Visio and Draw.io, and the System Engineers/Architects are now using Sparx EA Most of this Business's Methods and Procedures (M&P) have been using Draw.io to model their M&P, Policies, Rules, and Knowledge Management (KMS) Flows in Draw.io. Then they pass to engineers, architects, and developers for implementations. Their documentation and KMS is very well done. However, there is some confusion and breaks in their knowledge transfer and management, which makes delivery more complicated and slow than it should be. Since ChatGPT did a better job than I in describing Domain Driven Design (DDD), I will use that intelligence below ... Domain-Driven Design (DDD) is an approach to software development that focuses on understanding...

 A good friend and previous co-worker whom I admire and trust, posted on LinkedIn an article, ..." Here's why layoffs keep happening and why ambitious managers are fueling them ". Since LinkedIn doesn't give me enough space to comment, I am here 😀 Good read...however, I have concerns in what I viewed. First off, the author is a "former head of analytics". Why "former"? And should there be more focus on "Advanced Analytics" and not just "Analytics"? Sorry, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I did not read or see the core reasons why companies fall into this pit. For more on Advanced Analytics vs Analytics, read my post on The Premise of Analytics . Analytics vs Advanced Analytics What is the difference between analytics and advanced analytics? There is a difference between the two, where advanced analytics uses machine learning, data mining, predictive modeling, optimization algorithms, natural language processing, and mo...