In this chapter, we discussed the role of Visio and the UML as a documentation tool throughout the software development lifecycle. Although every project might be managed differently on a day-to-day basis, most projects follow the same major stages through development. We highlighted the most common UML diagrams at each of those stages and discussed their usage and role in subsequent stages of building a software application. We also briefly reviewed the features and benefits of UML Reports in Visio and how they can be used in a software development project. After reading this chapter, you should have come away with a better understanding of the application of Visio and the UML diagrams it produces, as well as the interaction of documentation produced in one project stage with the needs of other project stages. More importantly, you'll have some ideas and tools to work into your own development projects no matter what your role is. In the next chapter, we'll look at designing a distributed system, so keep on reading!
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