UML Distilled: A Brief Guide to the Standard Object Modeling Language

I recently started work as a Business Analyst and kept feeling intimidated by all the UML jargon and comments whenever I did a show-and-tell of my diagrams. This book is easy to read (even for non-technical people) and gives pointed, practical advice on projects in general - not only UML. For such a short, concise book, I feel that I have learnt ALOT in a very short period of time. I might not be a UML expert but I’m not afraid to get started on it anymore. It feels like something I can easily master if I put in the time and effort. Before reading the book, I felt like it was “over my head”. Thank you to the author! And thank you again.

The book arrived in perfect condition. A nice short presentation of each diagram of the UML. The author did a great job of creating examples to better show how each diagram can be used.

As the front page subtitle states, this is a brief guide to the UML. It is also a good one.The first chapter is an introduction to UML, including some short history on the language. The second chapter covers the Development Process with a quick overview of a couple of them - i.e. Agile, RUP, ...- followed by some guidance on choosing the right one.The following chapters cover the main UML diagrams, respectively, the Class, Sequence, Object, Package, Deployment, Use Case, State Machine, Activity, Communication, Composite Structure, Component, Collaboration, Interaction Overview and Timing Diagrams. At the end, there is an appendix that summarizes the changes between UML versions.Not all of the diagrams get in-depth coverage. Whereas Class Diagrams get the most attention of the author with two chapters specifically dedicated to them, Object, Deployment, Communication, Composite Structures, Component, Collaboration, Interaction Overview and Timing Diagrams get only a few pages, between two and four. Some of them are just limited to the sample diagrams that illustrate the chapter, with no or little text to support them. Rather than a shortcoming, this seems to be ensuing from the author's willingness to have the book limited to a few pages - 150 exactly, without the appendix -, covering what he considers to be essential.As such, this book is no replacement for the three classic UML books, i.e. the User's Guide, the Reference Manual and the Unified Process of the Booch/Jacobson/Rumbaugh Object Technology Series that the reader, in my opinion, will anyway have to go through until he/she gains sufficient working proficiency with the language. If the reader's intention is so, he/she'll be better inspired reading "UML Distilled" after, or better, in parallel with the User's Guide, diagram after diagram and have a look at the Reference Manual on selected dictionary terms, as necessary. The Unified Process book can be read independently.This is not a book an OOA/OOD. As prerequisite, the reader is expected to be comfortable enough with OO concepts such as Class, Object, Relationship, Aggregation, Composition, Inheritance, etc. Although not required, working proficiency with a former OO modeling method - e.g. Fusion, in my case - will help.

If you would like to get a better grasp on doing some high-level software design, UML Distilled turns out to be a much better book than I had anticipated. I expected a dry tutorial of the UML notation, but it is thankfully much more than this. UML Distilled (3rd Ed.) does indeed cover the UML 2.0 notation, but while you are learning one of the most flexible and widely accepted ways to represent a design graphically, you will learn something far more important: the types of things you MIGHT WANT to represent and design. This aspect of how to design is far more of a sticking point than learning a notation, and we can be grateful that Fowler has managed to get the more important issues regarding how to go about designing a project while simultaneously telling us all we NEED to know (but not everything) about the UML 2.0 specification.With Fowler making comments such as, "Fortunately, if you get it wrong, only serious UML weenies will notice -- or care", we get the feeling that while Fowler knows his subject and appreciates the UML notation, he also realizes that there are more important things than perfect diagrams to worry about when designing and building software. Fowler skips long-winded explanations by telling you where you can get more detailed explanations of certain topics and replaces sections that would normally be filled with unnecessary justifications for the notation with alternative approaches and personal experience. Quite often, these sections result in Fowler admitting that he finds certain aspects of the notation unnecessary or cumbersome, and almost always lightens the text, making it very readable.This book is great for anyone needing a solid introduction to UML or basic software engineering principles. It is also short, which is a relief to anyone used to trudging through most technical tomes. Most people could easily get through this book in a weekend, and confidently put "familiar with UML" on their resume.My only complaint with this book is that some parts of the notation are discussed without providing much of a hint on exactly *where* on a diagram you would place it. This information is available elsewhere (and most likely not particularly important in Fowler's opinion), and it aids in the book's brevity and the readability of the diagrams, so I can't really fault the author for not including it. These omissions and the occasional requirement for the reader to fill in the blanks don't quite warrant the loss of a star. The book provides exactly what it claims -- "a brief guide" to UML -- and also manages to act as an excellent quick reference for basic concepts.In short, UML Distilled is an excellent addition to any software developer's library, and a must have for anyone involved in a serious software design process. Definitely pick up the 3rd edition if you have a choice, and check out the author's recommendations for finding more specific and detailed information when you need it.

Great guide which I required whilst studying at university.

El libro está bien pero es muy caro para ser tan breve. Le faltaría un poco más de profundidad.

El resumen más conciso de UML súper práctico. Te enseña lo básico necesario para iniciar a diagramar en UML y es sencillo y practico

Great book, learned a lot about UML, not a complete guide to UML but a good starting point as stated in the title of the book ^^

Even though it's little old but beautiful book providing excellent knowledge about the UML concepts and project delivery concept overview.