This workshop focuses on ftinding business workers and business entities that participate in one business use-case
realization. A productive way of working is to gather a group of 3-7 people, use a whiteboard, easel, and Post-it?Notes. As the workshop progresses, your results should fill the walls of the room, making sure that
everyone can see and compare the different types of diagrams that will show different aspects of the realization of a
business process. These diagrams are here presented in a sequence you would introduce them, but once introduced they
will evolve in parallel.
Study the workflow of a business use-case. Mark each section in your text to show responsibilities that would fit on
one business worker or business entity. Or,if you have drawn an activity diagram for the workflow, mark up activity
states in the diagram. Use two colors of Post-it? Notes: one for business workers,and one for
entities.
Create a new activity diagram, with one swimlane for each business worker that you a this point know is participating.
Discuss how tasks are divided among the participating business workers - some tasks may need to be split,some could be
merged.
Example of activity diagram with swimlanes.
Once you understand what responsibilities each business worker has, you may start to add the business entities into the
picture using object flows in the activity diagrams. However, to avoid clutter you often need to limit the business
entities you show to those that are primary to the workflow. For details of business entities class diagrams are a
better choice.
Example of an activity diagram with object flows added.
To summarize your results, you can create class diagram that shows the business workers and the primary business
entities. In this class diagram, you can also start to add the relationships between business workers and business
entities that are necessary to perform the workflow of the business use-case realization.
If the number of business workers and business entities is large, you mayneed several diagrams. The following is
recommended:
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One diagram that shows how the business workers interact (without showing any business entities).
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A diagram for each subflow of the business use-case realization. Each of these diagrams should contain just the
business workers and business entities involved in the subflow. You could even limit the diagram by showing only
the most interesting business entities.
A class diagram shows how business workers and business entities are related to perform a business use-case realization
workflow.
As previously mentioned, it can be useful to in a separate class diagram keep track of the business entities on how
they need to be related.
A class diagram showing the business entities and their relationships.
Sequence diagrams, which are often more descriptive than activity diagrams, are good for describing the workflow in the
following situations:
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When parts of the business use-case realization are complex or unclear.
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When there are few business workers and business entities involved, but many operations to perform.
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When it is important to show the exact sequence in a workflow, that is, of messages for operations by business
workers and messages to operations of business entities.
If the number of business workers and business entities is large, you mayneed several sequence diagrams. Our
recommendations for communication diagrams are also valid for sequence diagrams. Start with the use-case
realization?snormal workflow, following its structure. Continue with alternative subflows.
To draw a sequence diagram of a business use-case realization, do the following:
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Put all business workers and business entities that participate in the workflow into a sequence diagram.
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Describe how the business workers interact via messages. For each message, specify the operation it concerns. If a
business worker handles a business entity, specify the operation it concerns.
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In the text margin, describe each activation (message requesting an operation).
A sequence diagram documents how business workers interact and handle business entities to perform the workflow of a
businessuse-case realization.
When you are ready, save the information about each business worker and business entity (which tasks it is supposed to
perform). You will describe them later. Save the information about the business use case and its realization by copying
the contents of the whiteboard. A great way of copying is to take a picture of the whiteboard with a digital camera. A
digital picture can be shared on a project home page.
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