The Assessment of Object Oriented Modelling Elements of the UML 1.1

The UML 1.1. as released in September 1997 represents an improved version of the previous document by giving revised definitions of many modelling elements and including well-formedness rules, defining its four layered architecture and organisation by package, and including an Object Constraint Language Specification used within well-formedness rules. In this paper we analyse and critically assess some modelling solutions with observations regarding types, interfaces and classifiers, and problems of associations semantics and notation. Well formedness rules, their format and role are also analysed. Use case modelling is assessed through their role in eliciting user’s requirements, and dealing with the functionality of the system. Some examples show the potential danger of using use-cases as a replacement for functional decomposition. This could result in some important abstractions in the system not being revealed and not seeing use cases as a representation of collective functionality where their components act as collaborations between objects.