Appendix A. UML Glance Card

In this appendix, you review the basics of the Unified Modeling Language (UML), which is currently at version 1.5. You can download the specification as a 4MB PDF file from the Object Management Group (OMG) Web site at http://www.omg.org. The OMG specification states that UML is a "graphical language for visualizing, specifying, constructing, and documenting the artifacts of a software- intensive system. The UML offers a standard way to write a system's blueprints, including conceptual things such as business processes and system functions as well as concrete things such as programming language statements, database schemas, and reusable software components ."

Even though UML doesn't appear in the assignment and, therefore, not in the essay exam, you should use it to diagram your application during the design phase. Having a clear picture to code to makes your programming work go faster. Also, you can choose to include UML diagrams in the design choices document. Many candidates find that using these diagrams helps ensure that the evaluator correctly understands their designs.