UML can be used for business analysis, including creating models for current and proposed processes, capturing requirements, and designing computer applications. Different UML diagrams, such as swim lane, use case, class, activity, and sequence diagrams, can be used to highlight different aspects of business processes and requirements.
The Unified Modeling Language (UML) can be used for many aspects of business analysis. Models can be created by a business analyst (BA) to represent current and proposed business processes driving organizational change. UML for business analysis can also be used to capture business requirements and provide a starting point for designing and developing computer applications.
The UML for business analysis offers different types of diagrams. Each type highlights certain aspects of business processes or system requirements. These diagrams can include swim lane diagrams, use case diagrams, activity diagrams, and sequence diagrams.
A swimlane diagram can be used for analyzing business processes and requirements. This diagram shows a specific process, the actors in the process, and the interactions between the actors, which can represent how a unit of work moves between the actors. These diagrams are usually easy for non-technical users to understand so they can confirm that the diagram is correct. Swim lane diagrams also make it easy to show redundancies or inefficiencies in a process so that it can be improved. For example, if a work item is returned to an actor multiple times, it is possible that the process will be more efficient by matching tasks to the work item that is returned fewer times.
Use-case diagrams specify at least one actor and one task that provides value to the actor(s). As an example, the actor can be the Customer and the task to be performed is Request merchandise. This UML diagram for business analysis very simply shows the system requirement for a feature that allows the actor to order goods.
Class diagrams are commonly used to help define business requirements for systems development. They show the types of objects, such as people or things, their relationships to each other, and their attributes and operations. As an example, an insurance company might have a policy management system with a class called Policies. The Policies class can have an attribute like owner and an operation like payClaim.
Activity diagrams are useful for business process modeling as they represent workflow and can also be used as system requirements documents. An activity diagram usually shows tasks performed sequentially. The model often has a beginning and an end, decision points, and indicates various responsible parties and their tasks. It also indicates which tasks can occur at the same time.
Sequence diagrams are another UML tool for business analysis that can be used at the business process level to describe how business objects currently interact. These diagrams can also be used for new application requirements. They represent calls or messages between objects, in the order in which they occur.
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