UMLi: The Unified Modeling Language for Interactive Applications

1
UMLi The Unified Modeling Language for
Interactive Applications

• Paulo Pinheiro da Silva and Norman W. Paton
• Department of Computer Science,
• University of Manchester

2
Outline

• User interface (UI) modelling with UML
• Background
• UMLi
• ARGOi
• Conclusions
• Future work

3
User Interface Modelling with UML (1/2)

• UML is a standard intended for modelling any
  software application.
• User interfaces are a crucial part of most
  applications.

HOWEVER UIs are usually not modelled using UML.
4
User Interface Modelling with UML (2/2)

• The limited use of UML for modelling UIs is
  evidence that UML may not be entirely suitable
  for UI design.
• Which aspects of UIs cannot be modelled
  effectively using standard UML?
• How can UML be improved to support modelling of
  such UI aspects effectively?

But then...
5
Background

• UI modelling difficulties using UML
• an approach for extending UML support for UI
  design

• UML-based interactive application case studies
• Model-Based User Interface Development
  Environment techniques

Identify...
Provide...
6
UMLi Proposal

• Main features of the UMLi proposal
• User Interface Diagrams
• Activity Diagram Extensions
• From use cases to activities
• From activities to action states
• Methodology

7
Modelling UI Presentations

• Abstract constructors are required to model UI
  presentations.
• Abstract constructors should eventually be mapped
  into widgets.

• 9 instances of 6 widgets.

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A UI Presentation

• In object diagrams, it is difficult to
  graphically realise
• Interaction object containment.

ConnectionUI FreeContainer
integrate
integrate
DataBox Container
ButtonBox Container
compose
compose
compose
PasswordLabel Displayer
LoginText Inputter
compose
compose
compose
OK ActionInvoker
Cancel ActionInvoker
PasswordText Inputter
LoginLabel Displayer
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A UI Presentation

• In object diagrams, it is difficult to
  graphically realise
• Interaction object containment

• Which abstract roles interaction objects are
  playing

Different roles
ConnectionUI FreeContainer
integrate
integrate
DataBox Container
ButtonBox Container
compose
compose
compose
PasswordLabel Displayer
LoginText Inputter
compose
compose
compose
OK ActionInvoker
Cancel ActionInvoker
PasswordText Inputter
LoginLabel Displayer
Similar roles
10
A UMLi UI Presentation

• UMLi UI diagrams provide graphical
  representations for
• containment of interaction objects
• abstract roles of interaction objects

ConnectionUI


Password
Login
Cancel
LoginText
PasswordText
OK
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From Use Cases and theirScenarios to Activities
ltltcommunicatesgtgt
Connect
Connect
LibraryUser
Connect
ltltpresentsgtgt
John, a library user, must provide
his details to gain access to the library system
Select Function
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Modelling Common Interactive Behaviours

• The modelling of some categories of transition
  may be simple using activity diagrams
• Sequential transitions
• Concurrent transitions
• Choices
• However, the modelling of other categories of
  transition may be complex
• Optional transitions
• Order independent transitions
• Repeatable transitions

Connect
GetDetails
new SelectHist
SelectHist
Select
GetName in SelectHist
GetPassord in SelectHist
GetName
GetPassword
GetName
GetPassword
GetName GetPassword in SelectHist
TryConnection
SelectFunction
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UMLi Selection States

• UMLi introduces the SelectionState constructors
  for modelling
• Optional transitions
• Order independent transitions
• Repeatable transitions

Connect
GetDetails
GetName
GetPassword
TryConnection
SelectFunction
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UMLi Interaction Object Flow
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ARGOi A UMLi-Based Tool (1/2)

• ARGOi is an extended version of UCIs ARGO
• The tool incorporates the following UMLi
  features
• UI diagram editor

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ARGOi A UMLi-Based Tool (2/2)

• UMLi Extended Activity Diagram features
• Interaction object flow support
• UMLi XMI parser/generator

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Conclusions (1/2)

• UML needs to be extended to simplify the
  modelling of the following aspect of UIs
• UI presentations
• Interactive behaviour (inter-object transitions)
• Collaboration between interaction objects and
  non-interaction objects

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Conclusions (2/2)

• UML for Interactive Applications (UMLi) is a
  proposal for extending UML that addresses these
  relevant problems of modelling UIs using UML.
• Further, UMLi provides
• a notation, meta-model and XMI DTD specification
• ARGOi A UMLi-based open source tool
• A complete UMLi case study modelled in ARGOi.

19
Future Work

• An industrial case study of using UMLi
• Design metric comparison between UML and UMLi
• UMLi methodology evaluation
• An implementation of UI software generation from
  UMLi models

20
Further Information

• Further information about UMLi can be obtained
  at
• http//img.cs.man.ac.uk/umli